Encounters of the Alliance Kind

So I thought I would stray from bitchin about Mac to philiosophizing about WoW, with or without correct spelling...

I have had two recent(ish) encounters with Alliance toons on Ravencrest, the PvE server I am on and both were interesting experiences, to say the least.

My Belf pally was slicing and dicing her way through Fellfire in Ashenvale when I had her bite off a little more than she could chew. To my great relief a hunter joined the fray from behind. After the extra bad monsters were downed I turned to thank the character for his or her timely aid when I stopped, my fingers frozen on the keyboard - it was a Night Elf Hunter. *gasp* Did I really need help from ~him~? No, I didn't but the thought was nice. So I waited for a few minutes, collecting my thoughts - "Should I flag and offer to kick his ass?" - when he went about his business and pulled more than he bargained for. I returned the favour, determined not to be held in debt to a Night Elf. He thanked me, or at least I think he did as he was speaking common and I wasn't. 

It seemed we were heading in the same direction, even on the same quest. I took the first strike on the next demon and he assisted me. Then he took first hit on the following demon and I assisted him.  We eventually made it to the first demon boss and I waited for him to draw first blood, but during the fray extra baddies were accidentally pulled - really, I should have expected it since we had met under similiar unfortunate circumstance :P foreshadowing sucks - and I finished the kill. This was my big chance, to leave and continue on my own, free from ackward relationship, but I remained until he rez'ed and helped him kill the boss. We moved together to located the next boss, I believe he put aside any doubts about our odd-couple relationship after I waited for him and assisted with his kill. I was almost a dance, as one of us would wait for the other if we became separated. We could make gestures to one another, but there was little real "communication" because of the faction barrier.

During our hunt for the second boss we entered the bowles of an underground complex, complete with spirals, nooks, crannies and other confusing turns. When we located the boss I stood back and let him draw first blood.  We killed well together but the boss respawned in a different location within the complex, making my kill essentially a lengthly game of hide and go seek.  At some point we became separated and I wandered, lost within the dungeon with demons respawning at an alarming rate all around me. By luck I discovered the boss and slayed him with little trouble, then I made the decision to continue moving through the caverns incase the Night Elf was still present, though I wasn't sure how to inform him that I has succeeded in destroying the second boss - a problem I didn't have time to ponder for long as three demons respawned around me. I fought them as best I could, but I knew that I would not survive this fight.  Then the last demon fell dead at my feet. I was grateful but confused because I could not see anyone around, then the Night Elf summer-saulted above me and landed with a flourish, having arrived in a timely fashion, again.

He followed me from the complex and back to the crossroads, where we attempted to say good bye. I found it an especially interesting encounter because we couldn't communicate through common means. We were forced to interpret each others actions: hesitations, bows, siting or jumping on the spot. I trusted that he wouldn't abandon me in a fight, and he seemed to place the same trust in me.

Now I stop and think twice before stealing a kill, or treasure from an Alliance player - oh sure, my first instinct is still to play a nasty trick on them, but my encounter with that one Night Elf has cause me to supress my evil intentions and lend a helping hand to other players in need, even Alliance....most of the time ;)