World of Warcraft®

((What started as just an IC gift idea for Winter Veil quickly grew into this. Hope you enjoy!))

Mani Winterhoof stared at the roof from a hammock in the Thunder Bluff inn, sleep eluding her. It had been a busy day at Bena’s alchemy, with many customers buying medicines, salves, potions, or perhaps some last-minute gifts to give during the Feast of Winter Veil. It had been busy, even with many shu’halo now returning to their homes as the turmoil of war had finally begun to settle.

And yet, for some reason she did not know, she herself could not settle enough to get some needed rest. Normally she would return home at the end of the day, but business kept her occupied enough that it felt easier to just stay the night in the shu’halo city. Generally such busy times made sleep come easy, but it was not so this brisk night.

Eventually accepting that sleep would not come for now, she arose from her hammock and, draping a shawl about her, took a walk out in the dimly lit paths of the city. There was always a breeze atop these mesas, though there was a chill to it in this hour and season that made her pull the shawl around her more tightly. Unlike other capitals of the Horde, Thunder Bluff was a generally quiet scene during the night, the luster of Mu’sha giving it a soft, serene, even peaceful feel. It was easier to feel now that things had begun to settle. The tauren woman welcomed it, even making her smile a little. It was a fair exchange for a delay of sleep.

As she made her way around the mesas’ paths, she happened to pass near the alchemy shop that she had closed for the day several hours prior. All seemed to be in order as she left it, until she noticed something different. Narrowing her eyes, she spied a faint bluish glow coming from the folds of the hut. At times, it also had a greenish tint to it.

Nothing had been left to brew overnight, and her kin Bena and Kray had said nothing about working late, and so immediately Mani became suspicious. “Who’s there?” she called, trotting up to the front entrance of the shop, grabbing a nearby broom she left leaning against one of the hut’s poles. She brandished it like a weapon, calling out further with a twinge of fear in her voice, “I know you’re in there! Come on out!”

The greenish-blue light went out almost instantly at the sound of her voice. “Shh! Not so loud Mani, it’s fine!” came a muffled but urgent whisper from inside. She knew the voice, and relaxed her grip on the broom, setting it down as she then tossed the folds of the hut entrance aside to reveal the scene before her.

Her cousin, Kaeevanrash, stood before her, a small bag in one hand and his back facing one of the crafting tables as a thin, soft leather hide covered some unknown object resting on it. “Oohh, Kaeev!” she exclaimed, her voice now grating with mild frustration as she secured the hut flaps shut. “You could’ve told me you’d be here, rather than make me worry about thieves or that dog of yours sniffing around for something to mark or chew on! What are you doing here?”

Kaeev grunted, his voice and countenance mirroring annoyance. Shifting a glance at the table behind him, he answered disarmingly, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Mani’s eyes fell upon the covered object, and she bit her lip in realization. Here she was, quietly reveling in a holiday season at her home away from home, the thought never crossing her mind that others—let alone anyone close to her—was busy preparing for Winter Veil in their own way in putting together gifts. “Oh,” she said with chagrin, now feeling rather rude. “…It’s not for me, is it?”

Still debating whether or not to continue what he was doing, Kaeev replied belatedly, “…No, it’s for Karoa.”

Her curiosity piqued, she started to peer past him at the covered object. “Oh. ….Um..may I..?” She then quickly assured, “I won’t tell her or her sister..?”

Kaeev grunted a sigh. “Maybe you won’t,” he said. Then, after a thought, he clarified while heaving a sigh, “No, you won’t tell them, but then, I don’t see you leaving for the sake of the shop until I’m done, either. You’re obsessive like that.”

Mani broke a small grin, “You know it, and, as if you’re one to call another obsessive,” she said with a playful punch to the bull’s shoulder.

Kaeev said nothing in reply, only rolling his eyes a little as he changed subjects. “It’s not quite done yet,” he said, setting the bag down on the table and carefully uncovering the object.

Mani gave a subdued but awed gasp at what she saw. A gem of sorts—too big for a ring even by tauren standards—rested in a metal setting on the table. The setting had a faint orange glow from the gem’s emanating heat. Its colors had not yet set, but still swirled, giving the room a soft blue and sometimes green glow like Mani had seen from outside. “There’s still some more heat and reagents to add before it cools and gets set,” explained Kaeev.

Marveling at its beauty, Mani said, “Kaeev, it’s beautiful. What gems did you use? Sapphire? Emerald?” she ventured.

Kaeev nodded. An accomplished alchemist herself, Mani continued to appraise his work, peering closer at it. “I’ve not seen them go together like that; in fact, I’m pretty sure they naturally don’t. Can’t, even. And yet, you make it look like they’re meant to. What else did you use with it?”

“Oh, various dusts and essences for enchanting,” replied Kaeev nonchalantly. “And heat, plenty of that,” he added.

Well aware of the elemental powers her cousin wielded as a shaman, Mani gave him a mock, scolding look. “Cheater,” she teased.

“An additional use of my resources,” corrected Kaeev, smirking back.

Mani chuckled, looking back at the gem. “You always had a helpful edge in this trade once you’d embraced the ways of the Spirits and elements,” she said with a faint sigh. “Makes me envy you sometimes, but that’s also why I welcome your occasional helping hand here.” She continued to stare at it, almost mesmerized by its colorful beauty, even as Kaeev continued to work on it. Drawing some dust from the bag, the bull put it in the palm of one of his hands and rubbed them together. He then carefully put his hands closely over the gem, which began to pulse brighter for a time as he uttered words in their native tongue.

When he had finished his incantation, he still kept his hands close to the gem. Mani’s thoughts wandered as she observed, and remarked, “You’re lucky, you know,” she said.

Kaeev looked at her, puzzled. “I mean, she certainly is lucky, having you for a mate and all,” Mani hastily explained.

They both knew what Mani was alluding to. She was older than Kaeev, but unlike him, had not yet found another who loved her and cherished her like she had seen Kaeev do with Karoa. And these days, she was getting beyond that age where her prospects were best. It was a sore spot in her heart that ached often, especially in a festive season such as this.

“Well,” she said, dismissing those thoughts for now. “I’ll quit being nosy already,” she said, forcing a smile. “You’ll make sure all’s in order and close up when you’re done, yes?”

“Of course,” replied Kaeev with a nod.

“You’ll come home soon to visit, too?”

“If not tomorrow, then the following day,” answered Kaeev again.

Mani nodded back, flashing a brief smile again as she departed the hut. “Alright. Good night Kaeev, and Happy Winter Veil.”

“You too,” he said.

Kaeev’s hands had never strayed from the gem this whole time, but after Mani’s departure, he looked at it for a moment, his brow furrowing a little with worry as he then looked to the entrance where his cousin once stood.

Mani had a hand on her chest as she resumed wandering the city’s paths. She shivered slightly at the breeze, unsure if it actually felt colder than before, or if it was some manifestation of the quiet sorrow for the void in her own life. She even felt a little ashamed, not for what she lacked, but for envying another—one of her closest kin, even—for having it. She was happy for her cousin, for certain, but for all the blessings she knew she had received from the Earth Mother’s hand, it felt unfair at times that another to give her heart to fully was not among them.

She heaved a sigh and shook her head, mentally trying to dispel her thoughts of self-pity as she approached the city’s inn entrance. She had much to be grateful for, more things than she could count, certainly. This was the season to celebrate what she had, not lament what she did not have. She would be happy tomorrow, she resolved as she settled back into her hammock. She would be.

This time, sleep came quickly. It seemed only a brief moment before she awoke to the sound of songbirds and the city stirring to life. She sat up, setting her hooves on the floor when she sensed a weight on her chest that then fell into her lap. She looked down and beheld a small leather pouch, tied shut. She undid the tie, only to find more leather string inside. She wrapped a finger around the string, and gasped softly at what was in her hand when she pulled on it.

It was a gem, much like the one she had seen Kaeev working on last night, but with different coloring. It had blue sapphire like the one she had seen, but instead of emerald, it had milky white quartz. Like the other gem, each of the parent gems had swirled together until it had cooled down and hardened. The gem was not cut, but it nonetheless was beautiful, and even had the feel of some faint magic to it. The gem itself was glued with some resin to a clasp made from scales of a pine cone, which were threaded through with a leather string so it could be worn like a pendant.

Mani was so impressed with the work that she almost didn’t notice the folded parchment that was also inside the pouch. She pulled it out and read.

“Dear Mani,

I was going to wait until Karoa and I came to visit the family to give you this, but after our meeting last night, I thought it better to give to you now. I left the gem as is because, well, I’m no expert at cutting gems for one, and I felt it looked pretty good already.

I just wanted you to know, too, that you’re right. I am lucky, because I have family like you who care about me, and were and are there for me. My growing up would have been very different if not for family like you to look after me after Mother and Father left this world. Your tender care in large part made me who I am, and for that I am grateful. Some day, I know, you will have the blessing you seek, and boy will that bull be lucky.

Happy Winter Veil. See you and the family soon.

Love,
Kaeev”

Mani pressed the parchment to her chest, moved by a warmth she felt well from within at the words and gift of her cousin. It was in that moment, that morning at the height of this Feast of Winter Veil, that she truly felt in her heart what she knew in her mind.

She was lucky, too.

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