By Leni

I was only small, who am I kidding I’m always small. I was only young when I happened across the human. She seemed to know what she was doing. I had caught the train to Stormwind only that morning.. Never before had I left the cold and the snow around Ironforge, but that was the day. The day to move to new lands and meet new people. To find out what everyone was talking about when they returned to the Inn in Kharanos.

Stormwind was big I needed to find somewhere smaller, I followed the signposts and made my way to Goldshire and there I saw her all tall and confident. She approached me and asked me my name, “Leni” I said.

“Lovely to meet you Leni, I’m Kalamesh, sister of Nadiastorm.”

“I’ve heard that name mentioned in my homeland” I replied “ A great warrior if the tales are to be believed.”

“They are to be believed” Kalamesh replied “except she is actually a Paladin, easy mistake to make though if you are not sure of the differences”

“A leader of people, they say at home” I added.

Kalamesh smiled a look of pride in her eyes “She is that, young mage, she is that. Leader of the people of Darkstorm at this time, she has experienced much as a leader of people. Her first tribe that she learned her craft with exiled her, did not agree with her methods and her ways. She stuck by her people and a small band have formed their own new community, that is why we are here, we are recruiting”.

“Oh, I am not nearly experienced enough to be joining a tribe of people, I have many spells to master and many more to learn. I would look foolish in the midst of all these great people”.

Then I saw her, Nadiastorm, laughing with people by her side. They looked weary from battle but hopeful yet of great things to come. Thier weapons nowhere to be seen probably at the blacksmiths being repaired but replaced with drinks bought from the Inn. There was not a gnome amongst them, I felt awkward approaching these humans, so tall, so confident, so shiney in their finery and armour and even taller yet “Who is that?” I spluttered at the sheer size of one.

Kalamesh laughed as she pointed “Who Ellenor?” I gulped and nodded “Ah she is a night elf, a hunter.”

“Oh” I replied in admiration of one so tall.

As Kalamesh approached Nadiastorm and her friends, the leader turned, she hugged her sister and asked “ Who have you here Kala?”

“This is Leni” she replied “She is new to the area and worried that she will have no place in these lands”

“Come” Nadiastorm said putting her arm around my shoulders and thrusting me towards her group of friends “let me introduce you. These are only a few, but they are my closest allies and friends, I would trust them with my life, I have trusted them with my life.” Her eyes became distant, perhaps remembering friends no longer here, or battles to bloody to recall.

In turn she introduced me to them.

“This is my second, this is Ellenor” I smiled up at the night elf and bowed my head slightly “Pleased to make your acquaintance”.

“No bowing, young gnome, none of us are greater than the other” Ellenor replied.

Then to another human, wearing a beautiful gown, it sparkled as she moved in the sunlight and the stars around her hair were mystifying “This is Sabriel, our healer and priest.”

I was awestruck at how pretty she was, how beautiful her gown was and how calm and serene she looked “Hello” I stumbled “Please accept my apologies it is just you are so um shiny” I was embarrassed and awkward, she knelt before me and smiled kindly “Leni, it is an honour to make your acquaintance, if ever you need help, call on me I will help you” Then she giggled “To be honest it may be me that calls on you”.

I blushed “No, no how could I ever be of help to you?” She smiled knowingly “You will see, young mage, you will see”.

Then to another I was introduced, I had seen him before in my own lands he had helped me when I was learning, another hunter but this time a dwarf. Many find his turning still to difficult to talk of and so in my memory it will stay.

They welcomed me and took me into the warmth of the Inn. There were more of them still in here. “Come sit by me” said Sabriel.

Since that day in Goldshire, I have not looked back. I have lost friends along the way, but I have met more and the ones that stay they are the ones that I am bound to.

I am now in my third tribe, The Tuatha, it is home here. I am here because of these people, because of Nadiastorm, Sabriel and now Renvik and the truly lovely Byzantees. I have become experienced in my craft and also knowledgeable of the people around me. I have been placed in a position of honour and one that I am never sure that I rightly deserve. But this family have taught me many things. I return home to the land of gnomes once in a while, to keep me grounded. To remember that it is not about the glories of great battles and the rewards that we reap, but of the family and friends that I fight and play along side.

We are here fighting alongside our friends far too many to mention as I would be scared to miss any of them out. I am a gnome from humble beginnings who has been helped to great things by my family of Humans, of Dwarves and Gnomes, of Night Elves and of Draeni