pt 16 Facing the hatred, again

It shames me to say that I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. The biting wind and the slippery snow seems to just add to poor Meekha's frustration, as she tries hard to swing the wooden sword at the training dummy.

"Oof!! lil Meekha, youf gotta swing yer hips wit dah sword"

Of all the people, Slasherjoe stayed at the Argent Tournament grounds to help me train my little Gruntling. He is an honorable and noble orc, and I trust him more than many others I know.

Meekha holds the sword high in the air and swings hard at the training dummy. She screams a battle cry as the blade impacts the shield. Unfortunately, she doesn't recover fast enough and the swinging pendulum of the dummies arm impacts her hard in the chest. Into the snowbank she tumbles.

Slasher looks at me and shakes his head.

"Eets okay Calm, shees learnin, eet won't take vewy long fer eer to pick eet up a goodin."

Meekha picks herself up out of the snowbank and looks at us with an angry stare. Then she grabs her wooden sword and heads right back to work on the training dummy.

"The little thing has tenacity, I'll give her that" I say as I try to stifle my laughter.

Slasher looks at me in surprise. "Of cours she dus. Shees da chiltren of heroes of da Horde! Sheel make a miyty warrior sum day!!"

A gust of wind blows up from the north, cold as icy death. The banners of the Argent tournament snap and wave in the wind. This place always makes me yearn for the warmth and peace of Mulgore.

"So Calm, wheen you gonna tell lil Meekha about er Father?" Slasher says in a whisper.

I look at him with every bit of harshness and disapproval I can muster.

"Well, look who we have here. It is the mighty Calmfury. I heard you were showing your face around here again but I could hardly believe it."

A chill of terror shoots up my spine, worse than any that Northrend's haunted wind could bring me. I cautiously turn and look into the grinning face of Garrosh Hellscream. He stands confidently in the snow with his elite guards, along with Trion Fordring himself.

"Garrosh, we have to finish our inspection of the tournament grounds and meet up with Thrall." Trion says with authority.

The Orc warlord sneers at me, and then turns to Trion. "Why don't you go ahead with my guard. I have seen enough of this place to be satisfied. Tell Thrall I'll be along soon." He turns back to me with a grin on his face.

Trion frowns with disapproval, then turns and continues his walk around the tournament grounds.

"So, Calmfury... I heard that you were part of an expedition into the titan city. My, you are such a brave hero."

Warily I stand in the snow looking at Garrosh. I feel my body tense up and my knees begin to shake a bit. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Meekha, she is focusing on the target dummy and oblivious to the danger at hand.

Garrosh looks at Slasherjoe, who also seems oblivious. "Warrior, why don't you go find something to do. I need to talk to our friend here." Garrosh says to him in a threatening tone.

"Uh, shur boss." Slasher says as he wheels about. "Calm, eyl be workin wit lil Meekha while yous are bizzy."

I am left in the snow with him.

"Calmfury, how about we take a short walk. I have something important I want to show you." Garrosh says as he motions me towards the edge of the moutain overlooking the north sea.

Cautiously I follow his command as my mind races on how to get out of this situation. I still don't know if Garrosh remembers who my gruntling is. I don't care if he hurts me, but if he tries to harm her I will give everything I am to kill him.

"Young Tauren, you don't need to be on your guard with me, I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I have big plans for you. We have a war coming and we need mighty warriors like you."

I ease somewhat, though I am still unsure if I can trust him or not.

"Garrosh, it had always been my intent to serve the Horde in any way I can." I say to him slowly.

"Ahh, this is good Calmfury. Because I have an important task I need you to perform for me."

As he says this, we come to the cliff edge overlooking the sea. Far below us I see the frozen waters of the Sea Reavers run.

"Calmfury, there is a war coming with the Alliance, and we need to be prepared. We have worked hard to break the bonds of peace with them and soon our glorious Horde will be cheering from the towers of Stormwind."

An icy gust blows up from the sea once again and I can almost hear the voice of Arthas laughing on the wind.

"My Lord, what about Arthas?" I say to him cautiously. "Aren't we still at war with him? Maybe we shouldn't be picking a fight with the Alliance until Arthas is dead."

Garrosh's grin turns into a scowl. He licks the ice off his tusks and then snorts at me in disapproval.

"In my Horde" Garrosh continues "I have no room for those who would fail me. You know this more than anyone Tauren! We have to be mighty, honorable and without mercy as our people has always been."

I turn to face him. A sinister look washes across his brown face.

"Garrosh, what is this task you want me to do?" I ask.

With that, a sharp pain pierces my side. The breath goes out of me in an instant as my lung collapses in my chest. As I turn to face my attacker, I feel my legs stiffen up, and I fall to my knees at the cliffs edge. Looking up, I see the smiling face of a weedy little orc holding a bloody dagger, he is missing one of his tusks.

I reach out for the assassin to no avail, my arms go stiff and I fall flat on my face in the snow.

"Vengeance Tauren, this is vengeance for knocking out my tusk. Now you die!!" the weedy orc yells as he lunges forward with his blade.

With a swift motion, Garrosh grabs the little orc by the scruff and tosses him into the nearby snow bank. Then I feel his hands on me as he turns me over.

"My task for you Calmfury, Guardian of Cenarius is to die!! You have insulted me in front of my Horde and for this you will pay with your pathetic life!!" Garrosh yells in triumph.

It just so happens that when Garrosh turned me over my face fell in the direction of Meekha. I watch as she swings her wooden sword in a mighty arc, striking the training dummies shield. Then, she expertly ducks below the swinging pendulum. With a proud smile on her innocent face she turns to Slasherjoe and cheers. Then, she looks around to see if I was watching.

Her eyes fall upon me and I see her proud smile turns to a look of abject horror.

"Lets see how a druid works when he's been chopped to pieces!!" Garrosh yells as he swings his huge axe down. The razor sharp blade cleaves into my upper arm, severing it in one clean blow. Whatever poison I am subject to does nothing to ease the pain.

I watch Meekha as she screams in horror. Slasherjoe turns around to see what she is screaming at in time to see Garrosh cut off my other arm.

The pain is so intense I nearly black out.

Meekha pulls out the glowing dagger I gave her and begins charging across the field at Garrosh.

By the Earthmother no! Save us from this horrible fate.

Slasherjoe begins chasing after Meekha. It is then that I see the weedy little assassin pull himself out of the snow bank. On his face is the smug grin I recognize from the Alliance murderers I have fought. He draws his dagger and starts out for my little gruntling.

Just before he falls upon her I see Slasher cleave downward with his poleaxe, cutting the spineless assassin in two.

"Get away from my master you honorless dog!!!" my little Meekha yells out at Garrosh, holding her glowing dagger at the ready.

I feel my heart break

Garrosh Hellscream, Overlord of the Warsong offensive, sneers at the little Orc. "An honorless dog am I?"

With that Garrosh kicks me hard in the side. I feel several of my ribs break as my armless body rolls off the side of the cliff.

I fall for what seems like an eternity before hitting an icy outcropping in the cliffside. Whats left of my body is crushed as I slide down a slope. Then I come to an abrupt stop on a precarious ledge.

Here is the place I am to die, not as a hero of my people, but as a shameful and forgotten soldier who dared to question his leader.

I stare out at the merciless sea, as the icy winds of death howl in laughter at me. Already the scavengers, foul birds, begin to circle me.

I think that Thrall was right. Wisdom and mercy are the things that give a person true value. Sadly, it is too late to tell this to my poor Meekha.

One of the scavengers lands on the ledge. The wretched bird hops about for a moment and then pauses to look me in the eyes. Perhaps it is mocking me before it feasts on my flesh.

My eyes begin to darken.

"Fear not Calmfury, your story is not yet told, fate has something else in store for you" I look up to see the smiling face of Charibdys. The bird was not a vulture, but her in stormcrow form.

A portal opens up next to me. "I am taking you to Moonglade" she says as she pulls my broken body through the portal.

With what little strength I have I am able to whisper just one word.

"Meekha"

pt 15 Meekha's Passage

"Move aside servant, we need to speak to Calmfury." the scary Blood Elf woman says to me as she enters the Sunstrider Pavilion.

We have been at the Argent Tournament grounds for a little over a day now, and I have been taking care of my Master. He fell ill during an expedition into some big city on a mountain. I stayed with the caravan outside, so I don't know what happened to make him sick.

I look into the cold, piercing stare of the Blood Elf everyone calls Squish.

"My Master is still sick, he mumbles about strange things." I say, trying to hide my fear of her.

"Has he opened his eyes?" she asks coldly.

"Uh, yes but..."

"Move aside!!" she commands as a nearby orc warrior picks me up off the litter that my Master is resting on. I struggle in vain.

"Calmfury" Squish says in a commanding tone "It is time for you to awaken!"

My Master stirs some, and mumbles something I don't understand.

Squish raises her hand and slaps him hard across his face.

"Stop it!!" I yell "He is sick!! Your gonna hurt him!!"

The Blood elf ignores my plea and slaps my master again.

"Calmfury, wake up!! We have business to attend to."

With that, my Master opens his eyes widely and gasps for air. I hear a growl in his throat as he sits up from his bed. He looks mad.

"Master!!!" I scream

His eyes roll wildly around the room as if he is trying to figure out where he is. Then, they settle on me. I see a smile come across his face and he breathes in a deep breath.

"Calmfury, the expedition will wait no longer. We have to divide the treasure. We can do it with or without you. But I cannot guarantee you'll get a fair share." Squish says coldly.

He sits there for a moment as if he is confused. Then he looks up at Squish.

"Very well, lets do this. May I have a moment?" My Master says in a low tone.

Squish smiles and nods at him, before turning and walking out of the pavilion.

"Meekha, please get our bags and bring me some food. I have to go outside to relieve myself."

The Orc sets me down and I smile at my Master. I am excited to see him up and about again.

Some time passes while my Master and I quietly eat some food. Meanwhile, everyone that is left from the expedition gathers in the pavilion around a large pile of gold, silver, gems, strange orbs, and racks of weapons and armor. They seem excited and have strange looks in their eyes, almost like they haven't eaten for a long time. Squish comes in holding a scroll.

"Members of Bloodlust, you are the sole survivors of our expedition into the titan city of Ulduar. All of you have fought hard and proven yourselves as worthy members of the Horde."

The dozen or so people gathered in the room break out in a loud cheer.

"Before you are the spoils of our expedition. This gold and these items will be used to strengthen us so that we may be prepared for future expeditions against Arthas and the cursed Alliance!!"

Someone yells out "For the Horde!!" and the room erupts into a louder chorus of laughter, cheers and sworn oaths.

Once it quiets down, Squish continues by reading from the scroll.

"Okay, according to my calculations everyone will get one share of the gold. That amounts to 280 pieces of gold per member that is left. Also..."

Squish goes on talking about some rules for dividing the treasure that don't make any sense to me. Meanwhile, my master sits in silence chewing on some meat.

"Master, why is gold and treasure so important to folks?"

He looks at me as if he is still in a daze. Then, he smiles and I see that familiar twinkle in his eye.

"Meekha, treasure is for fooling people to believe they have value, that is all."

His answer confuses me.

"Well then Master, what is it that gives people value if it isn't treasure?" I ask

He ponders the question for a moment as if he is the one that is confused.

"I don't know Meekha. Maybe it's honor, or maybe it is mercy and wisdom as Thrall says." he replies in a whisper. "I just know it is not treasure."

We continue to enjoy our meal as we watch the group of people argue and yell over the treasure. After some time passes, the people in the room begin to leave one by one carrying their bulging sacks of gold and beloved items they had acquired. At last, Squish makes her way over to us.

"Calmfury, you nearly missed out on the best items." she says with a strange grin on her face. "Here is some gold, I am giving you two shares for your hard work. Also, I saved these things for you."

She presents a strange looking spear, and a beautiful dagger to him.

"You can use a polearm I assume?" she says with a smile.

My master looks at the items for a moment, as if he is still out of his mind.

"Yes, thank you Squish." He takes the items from her hands and places the spear on a nearby rack.

"So, Calmfury... it is time we talk about extending our agreement. I have big plans to assault Icecrown in the coming months." Squish says with a tone of authority.

"No Squish" my master interrupts her "I will not be extending my agreement with you. I have other matters to attend!"

The Blood Elf stares at him with an angry look on her face. Her fists ball up, and for a moment, I think she is going to strike him. Then suddenly, she seems to relax.

"If you intend to work for another mercenary group I will see that you are rejected. I have many connections. Bloodlust has been good to you and you spit in our face. This is an insult, Calmfury, Guardian of Cenarius!"

With that said, she turns and walks away from us.

We sit in the pavilion for the rest of the day. As he sometimes does, my Master just sits quietly, as if he is praying or thinking hard about something. Finally, he looks at me and breaks the silence.

"Meekha, I want you to have this." he hands me the ornate, glowing dagger. "You are getting big and it is time I teach you to fight."

I take the strange blade in my hand. They may call it a dagger, but to me it is more of a sword. It seems to hum a song to me as I stare at it.

"Meekha, you will be a great warrior of the Horde someday. You will be a hero to your people. I can see it."

As I stare at the greatest gift I have ever come to own, tears well up in my eyes. Though I am only an orphan, I am so blessed to have a master like Calmfury.

"Master, I have never told you this, but I don't want to be a warrior." I pause for a moment as the reality of my words hit me. "I want to be a druid like you Master. I want to find my Balance."

The mighty Tauren looks at me and smiles as tears well up in his eyes.

"Tomorrow my dear, you will start your training."

pt 14 Honor's lost child

My name is Orsin. I am a thief, and a murderer. That is why they love me.

Don't misunderstand, I am tormented and abused by my own people. I am told I am worthless, and that I have no honor. They are at least right about one thing.

I grew up in a place called Razor Hill. A tiny little Orc community in Durotar. My father is long dead, and my mother is one of the guards in town. I hate her. Growing up I was never good enough for her, I was too small and weak. I could barely lift an axe, while the other orcs my age where learning to fight and becoming warriors. I was a shame to everyone around me.

But, they still loved me. They adored me because I could do what they couldn't. I was not bound by honor.

What is honor anyway? A ridiculous code of conduct that makes the bold, and strong people feel good about what they do, and who they are.

I say it is an excuse to be weak.

No, what motivates me is something much more potent. As a child I was abused and tormented, as I said, but no one ever got away with it. It was vengeance that allowed me to harvest scorpid poison and slip it into my enemies food, and it was vengeance that allowed me to slit their throats in the night, and sleep like a baby the following day.

Vengeance is an excuse to be strong.

It is vengeance that has set my limbs in motion this night. You see I heard that there was a certain Tauren that was brought into the Argent Tournament Grounds earlier today. He suffers from some sort of dementia that has left his powerful, and honorable self as weak as a baby. This tauren has wronged me, and I have my excuse to be strong.

Normally, I would sneak in and just slice open his neck. But he is surrounded by a group of very powerful friends. So, I have to be more subtle.

"Who is there!! I can smell you." the mighty Taunka huntsman named Lokni yells into the arctic night.

I slip from the frosty shadows and make myself seen to him.

"It is me Lokni, I have come with the package you asked for" I quietly reply.

The mighty huntsman squints in the darkness for a moment before finally seeing me. I have noticed that the Tauren and the Taunka do not see in the dark very well.

"Orsin, I didn't think you would come back so soon. You say you have what I asked for?"

"Oh yes, I have brought you two full jugs of Kungaloosh. It will keep you quite warm and happy on a night like this. Now, do you have what I asked for?"

Lokni seems to get excited, obviously he has a weakness for strong liquor.

"Come here Orc, I will give you what you want." Lokni says with a grin.

He turns and walks to the side of a very large, very ferocious Jormunger. The massive iceworm rolls over obediently exposing his tooth filled maw to his master.

"Did you bring a crystal vial like I told you to?" he asks

I struggle not to wretch at the horrid smell of the creatures breath as I reach into my backpack and retrieve the vial for him.

"Oh no, Your gonna harvest this poison little orc. One drop of this stuff even on your hand will make you stiff as a board for an hour." Lokni says.

I try not to grin as I draw closer to the beasts stinking mouth.

"It's that potent eh?"

Lokni just grins at me as he points to an oozing spout inside the creatures mouth underneath his tongue. I uncork the vial and carefully place it over the spout to catch the caustic green fluid.

"So, what does Garrosh want this stuff for anyway?" Lokni asks quietly

"It's gonna be a new secret weapon for the Horde." I reply.

What I good liar I am.

Once the bottle is full I carefully cork the end, and stuff it back into my pouch. Then I hand the jugs of Kungaloosh to my eager friend.

"Don't drink this stuff too fast. You know how Trion hates a drunk" I say with a smile.

Lokni opens one of the jugs and greedily swallows the contents.

With no further business, I quietly turn and once again disappear into the night. My vengeance is at hand, and when it is, I am at my strongest.

pt 13 The Titans Anvil

I have never been so exhausted in my entire life. Honestly, I do not know how I survived the last few days of hell I have been through.

Before me lies the broken body of the monster they call General Vezax. He looks like a cross between a giant and some sort of sea creature. Certainly not something that is natural to this world.

From what our Blood elf leader has told us, he is the last horror to haunt these halls.

"Fan out everyone, I want you to search this room for any treasure." Squish yells to the reminants of our mercenary raiding party.

Let me tell you a little about Squish. She is a Blood Elf Noble of some sort, rumored to be related to Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider himself. These days she is hiding out and doing work for Garrosh in Northrend. She leads a mercenary outfit calling itself Bloodlust.

I've never asked her, but from what I hear she adopted an orcish name that sounds like something pleasant and nasty in whatever language the Blood Elves speak. Sadly, she doesn't realize the sorry implications of her name, and no one is brave enough to tell her otherwise. So, the joke kind of goes on behind her back.

"Ay Boss!! Dere is anoder passage down ere... I tink I can ear something." one of the orc warriors calls out.

The collective of the half dozen souls left alive stop their searching and make their way to the broken passageway. There before us is a strange room with a woman floating about the floor. She looks to be orcish.

"I sense a great power in the room, also a great evil" one of the other Blood Elves, a priest named Azzara, says.

"He he ha! Less go down dere boss, maybe dere is big fat treasure." the eager Orc warrior says.

I collapse on the floor, trying to catch my breath from the previous fight.

"No, we are done. It took us a week to get this far, and most of the outfit is dead or dying. Besides, Calmfury looks like the fight has been knocked out of him" Squish says.

I snort at Squish with disapproval, but in truth, I am relieved. This expedition has been frought with peril along the way. It has been my job to turn to a bear and fight each of the monsters we have encountered in here, while others attack it from behind or at range. Naturally, in this task I have been beat to all hell.

"Everyone, finish gathering treasure. Afterwards we will tend to the dead and wounded. I hope we can make it out of here tonight, and tommorrow we will divide the treasure." Squish calls out again to everyone. This time her words are met with a rousing cheer from the survivors.

"CALMFURY!!!!!!"

A ghostly voice cries out in what I first think is in the room, then I realize is in my head.

"CALMFURY!!! WHY DO YOU RUN!!!"

Despite my fatigue, I rise up and look back into the mysterious room. I can see the orcish woman floating in the air, her arm is raised and she is pointing at me.

I snort as I feel the anger rise in me again, giving strength to my limbs.

"CALMFURY WHERE IS DIOGENES!?!?!"

I stand frozen in place, puzzled and bewildered at what she just said to me. Who is Diogenes?

Suddenly, I feel a piercing jab in my mind. Before me the room melts away and grows dark. I roar with terror, but to no avail, it seems I am alone in this place. Then, light pierces the horizon and I see a grassy field before me. It looks as though I am in Mulgore.

In the grass, I see a human running for all he is worth. On his face is not the smug, arrogant expression I am used to, instead he looks terrified.

In the distance I hear a howl!!

The human looks as though his clothes are ripped and tattered, and he is not wearing any shoes.

Then, from over a grassy knoll I see a massive wolf running across the grasslands. He is black and ferocious looking with glaring yellow eyes and a foaming maw filled with rows of sharp teeth.

Suddenly, the man sees me and turns to run directly at me. Meanwhile, the wolf quickly closes in on him.

What am I supposed to do? I don't care about any human, I certainly won't do a thing to help him. If anything I'll enjoy watching him be torn apart by the beast.

The human falls before my feet and screams at me in his awful language. I feel the rage well up in me and in an instant I turn to a feral lion. How dare this waste of a life step foot in our lands. It was pigs like him that brought this war to us, it was him that tried to kill my beloved chieftan, it was him that killed my mother!!

With a furious roar I pounce on the human. My claws tear into his soft, pink flesh so easily. He screams in agony while I joyfully disembowel him on the spot.

As I revel in the smell of his blood and fear, the human looks up at me and manages to say something.

"You were supposed to save us from him"

Silence once again falls on the plains of Mulgore. The wolf is gone, and all that is left is me, the shattered remains of the human, and the howling wind.

"Naw boss ees dead. I git a share of ees treasure. Har har har!"

"Quiet, he is not dead, I can see his eyes opening" I recognise the voice of Azzara.

My eyes slowly open and I can see that I am on the back of a wagon filled with looted weapons, gold, silver and artifacts.

"Ahh goot. Hee can walk from ere. Im tired of pullin ees gutz around."

I sit up and see several of the mercenaries pulling the wagon I am on. It seems we are somewhere near the entranceway to this Titan city.

"Calmfury, lay down and rest." Squish says from the back of her Hawkstrider. "We are going to need you soon for our assault on Icecrown. By tonight we will be at the Argent Tournament grounds for a celebration."

All I can manage to say is no, before I once again fall unconscience.

pt 12 On the road to Orgrimmar

It doesn't make any sense to me. Yesterday my Master was upset about something. He didn't say what it was, but I know he saw something out in the valley the night before. After speaking to the Elder, my Master was furious. He told me to get our bags and we left Mulgore. He wouldn't talk to me about it. In fact, he wouldn't talk at all. Nor would we even ride our mounts. We just walked along the dusty road in silence.

I like the Barrens. Some of the other orphans would say that it is a nasty desert, but I think it is beautiful. The animals that graze in the endless fields sometimes make me laugh. Lions that sleep in the midday sun on their backs with their legs in the air, or Thunderlizards that make fart sounds when they swallow the loads of grass they stuff in their mouths.

I sorta wish there was some way that I could grow up and study wild animals. I like nature things alot. Maybe I can talk to the Elders and become a druid someday.

"Meekha, hide now!" my master exclaims.

We stop in our tracks on the winding road. Ahead, I can see a pair of riders coming up from a gully. Immediately, I jump into the nearby grass. My master stands openly in the road, making no effort to hide or even defend himself.

Soon I hear the sounds of the approaching riders. Then, my nose is accosted by a wretched stench.

"Har har har!! Look wut we got ere Slasher, its dah mighty Calmfury himsewf." One of the riders says. I dare not peek out from the grass.

"Weel, I tink weer in luk today Gore, Calm ere is a wunted basturd. Weer gonna git paid big fer iss hide."

My master continues to stand defiantly in the road.

"Slasherjoe and Goregreedy, what a sorry sack of crap you two make. Did Garrosh send you to kill me?" my master snorts. The urge to peek out is great, but I must obey my master.

"Har har har. Yer funny fer a big, dum Tooren."

"Naw, wee wurnt sent by Garrosh. Dah boss sent us. Yoo know, dah elf gurl that leeds the Merk outfit. She wunts us ta go tu some titan city to steel some artyfacts."

Both of the riders talk like the Orcs I remember in Orgrimmar. Though one of them sounds like he has alot of nasty goo in his throat.

"I'm guessing you mean Ulduar right?" my Master asks.

I can see from my hiding spot that my Master has relaxed. He stands in the road with his brow furrowed, pondering the situation.

"Aye Calm, weer is littul Meekha, ave you been treating er alright?"

Me?!? Why would this stranger ask about me? The suspense it too much to resist, and I sneak a peek out of the tall grass.

There standing in the road are a pair of orc warriors on the backs of two ferocious looking black war bears. One orc carries a gleaming spear and looks like one of the most handsome and mighty orcs I have ever seen. The other looks old and decrepit, his armor is covered in cakes of blood and gore and a swarm of putrid flies circle the air around him. The very sight of him puts terror in my heart. I slink back into the grass.

"She's doing well Gore. I told you not to worry about her, or even ask about her anymore. We have a pact remember?" my master says forcefully.

The one he calls Gore manages a sickening gurgle for a response.

"So Calm, wuts dah plan, you comin wit us or ar wez gonna aff to club ya ova dah ead and drag ya to Dal-a-ran?" the handsome Orc says.

My Master replies "No, I'll go... I wouldn't want you bags to work too hard. Tell Squish that I am comin. Speaking of that did you ever tell her what her elfin name means in Orcish?"

"Har har har! Naw, we didunt. Eets too funny ta say nutin about eet." Gore belches out.

"Ahw, comon Calm, jist go wit us. Dat way we can git paid da fat loot she promised us"

"You'll get paid Slasher, I'll make sure of it. Now get going. I'll catch up." my Master pauses as they turn their bears around headed back to Orgrimmar "Hey one more thing. Where did you guys get the war bears? I heard they were being trained for a special project."

"Oh, har har har!" Gore replies in his disgusting voice. "Garrosh is givin dem out ta any Horde dat attack dah umie cities. Slash and I got ers fer bashing in some eads. Eets grate fun Calm, yu shoult git yers sum time."

My master stands in silence on the road as the pair ride off to the north. After they are out of sight I crawl out of the grass.

"Master, why did that Orc ask about me? Does he know me or something?"

My Master turns to me and softly replies. "No Meekha, you don't know him. Just forget about him."

pt 11. There's something about Charibdys

Life has basically returned to normal in Thunder Bluff. Despite the fact that many of our beloved neighbors are gone, the mood of the survivors is not what you'd expect from a city that has been attacked by foreigners. Such is the way of the Tauren, our faith in the Earthmother, along with our indomitable nature, see us through whatever hardship we are called to endure.

Today, I have decided to rest in my lodge. I have started a fast to cleanse myself and to focus my energy towards balance.

"Elder Hamuul, I need to speak with you at once." Calmfury exclaims as he barges into my lodge.

He seems agitated and angry, a hint of the rage he struggles with simmering on the surface, a characteristic so foreign to the Tauren.

"Welcome Calmfury, please sit and smoke a pipe with me" I say in a soothing tone.

"Elder, there is no time for this!" Calmfury exclaims "I have found a traitor in our midst!!"

A long, tense moment passes as we stare at one another. I can see he is breathing hard, and his fists are clenched like he is ready for a fight.

"Calmfury, please sit down and we can discuss this." With a motion of my hand I dismiss my two assistants.

The angry bull sighs heavily and sits down before me. It is important at times to maintain a sense of order and tradition, even in the face of treason, or at least the threat of such things. I load and light my new wooden pipe. Calmfury takes the pipe and inhales a deep dose of the sacred tobacco, instantly I see the angst melt from his countenance.

"Now, please tell me what it is that disturbes you Calmfury."

The young Tauren looks at me impassively for a moment.

"Elder, last night in the valley I tracked a stranger through the grasslands. When she stopped on the far side of the valley I realized it was Charibdys and she as carrying the body of one of the Alliance raiding party that attacked us."

As he speaks I can see the anger rising in his eyes again. I am such a fool, I sent her down to bury her friend when I knew Calmfury was resting in the valley. It didn't even dawn on me that they would come across one another.

"Calmfury, are you certain it was Charibdys?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Yes Elder, she dug the grave for the Night Elf hunter I remember killing the day before. She buried the invader in our sacred soil. She also spoke like it was some sort of funeral. She called the Alliance elf her sister!!"

Oh no, of all the Tauren in Thunder Bluff it was Calmfury that we did not want to know about Charibdys's secret. I am afraid there is no way to hide it now.

"Turak!" I call my assistant.

"Yes Master!" he exclaims from the doorway.

"Find and bring me Charibdys at once!!"

I take a smoke from my pipe, savoring the rich flavor, before I pass it to Calmfury.

"Elder, what I don't understand is why she would do this. Charibdys has always seemed.. uhm, foreign to me. Shes not like other Tauren. Was she raised in Mulgore? I dont remember her has a young calf at all."

I pause for a moment, dreading what it is that I have to say.

"Calmfury... you shouldn't be so quick to judge her. You don't know the complete story." Again I pause, trying to decide just how to explain this situation. "Calmfury, do you know much about the Emerald Dream?"

"I know enough, I know what you taught me about it" he replies cautiously, as if he is sensing that something is wrong.

"You remember that druids sometimes seek a deep slumber, to disconnect from their bodies and to seek a deeper understanding of the Dream and of the way of Balance."

Once again I pause to smoke from my pipe.

"There was once a human, a mage from the Kingdom of Gilneas, of all places. He sought out us Druids to seek a cure for a curse that was placed on him by an associate who betrayed him. It was a curse of the flesh that changed him into a mindless, uncontrollable monster. He thought that our mastery of shapeshifting would help him overcome or even control the change."

I hand the pipe to Calmfury again. As I do, I see Charibdys enter the lodge behind him. Her face is saddened and drawn, even from here I can see her hands trembling. Turok must have said something to her.

"This mage, we could not help. We even instructed him in the ways of our kind. But, each night he would be overcome by the rage. It was then that we offered to help him into the Emerald Dream. Once in the sleep, he would be free of the curse while we sought a cure for him. However, something happened to him, he came back from the dream but in a different form."

"In different form?!? What do you mean?!? Are you saying that Charibdys is this human in disguise?!?" Calmfury exclaims

Charibdys takes a seat across the lodge from us. Close enough to hear our conversation, but far enough away not to be noticed.

"No Calmfury, that is not what I am saying at all" I sigh " What I am about to tell you only the Elders of the Druidic order know. I expect you to tell no one else."

Once again I pause and take a deep breath, wondering to myself if this is the wisest course of action.

"After this happened there was a Night elf Druid by the name of Charibeth Mooncloud that came forward to research this mystery. She sought out the advise of a Green Dragon named Dreamtracker, who guards a mysterious portal at a place called Seradane in the Hinterlands. With what he told her, she was able to traverse the Emerald Dream and come back as a Tauren, the Tauren we know as Charibdys."

Silence settles across the lodge. Calmfury sits quietly with his brow furrowed, deep in thought. Finally Charibdys stands and breaks the silence.

"Calmfury, I came here to seek a greater understanding of the Tauren. Not to betray you but to seek peace between our people. To prove that we are closer to one another than anyone could believe."

The hulking bull rises from the ground his muscles twitch with what I can only assume is anger. He turns to face Charibdys.

"Calmfury!" I exclaim "Charibdys is not a traitor, she is an ambassador. Can't you see that she means us no harm?! She helped you kill someone that was dear to her in defense of our people!!"

"She was my little sister, Elder Hamuul, and I am sorry to say that she was a fool to fall for the lies that are leading us to war. She paid for her foolishness with her life." Charibdys says softly, her head hanging down in shame.

Still, Calmfury stands there, staring at poor Charibdys with abject hate in his eyes.

"Calmfury! You will not harm her! Do you understand?!?" I yell commandingly.

The howl of the wind outside the lodge are the only sounds, their haunting moan adding to the tense standoff.

"Yes Elder Hamuul, I will not harm her as you say. But I don't have to trust her!" Calmfury finally breaks the silence. "I have one question though."

"Of course, what is your question." I say cautiously.

"Is this journey through the Emerald Dream what you meant when you said that you wanted to place people in the midst of the Alliance to prevent a war?" Calmfury says menacingly

"Yes it was Calmfury. It is a longshot but it may be our only way."

"And is this why you wanted me to enter the Emerald Dream?"

I hesitate with my answer, I am not sure he is ready for what I am about to say.

"Yes, young Tauren, it is. We want you to go as Charibdys did, as a sort of ambassador for your people"

Calmfury turns his head towards me. I see every ounce of rage and hatred he holds in his tortured soul painted across his face.

"I told you then, and I'll tell you again. Never in a thousand lifetimes will I betray the Horde. Never!! If you and the other Elders wish to walk this path of idiocy, you will do it without me. I am done with you all!!!"

With that being said, and the sting of his hateful words settling on me, Calmfury walks out of the lodge. Once again silence fills the room, as I wonder if I will ever see him again.

"Elder, I am sorry I brought us to this" Charibdys says in a broken voice. I see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Charibdys, it is okay. I am sure that fate has something else in store for Calmfury, his story is not finished." I ponder the situation for a moment. "Charibdys, I want you to follow him, he may yet need you."

Horror washes across her face at the thought.

"Yes Elder I will do as you ask" Charibdys replies as she slowly turns and walks out of the lodge.

Poor Charibdys, she is the child of two worlds. Perhaps she will never again belong to either one.

pt 10 with friends like these

A festering stink hung in the air like a foreboding storm of decay. Biting flies and crawling maggots covered his armor along with a thick layer of dried blood and diseased bits of flesh. The orc calling himself Goregreedy sat like a monument of filth, contrasting with the serene gardens of the city of Dalaran. By his side, an immense ancient maul, it too covered with the wretched gore of a thousand battles.

Of course, no one else was able to stay very long in the garden. But, that didn't matter to him. Goregreedy was a Death Knight, master of disease and decay. Once an unwilling servant of the dreaded Arthas, before that a proud warrior of the Horde. Now, he lives is life one day at a time, working for whomever pays the best, a mercenary. These days, he plies his trade both for the Horde, whom he once loved so much, and a mercenary band calling itself Bloodlust.

"Aye Gore, wut are you doing ere you nasty bastard?!" another Orc makes his way across the defiled garden. This one is a fine specimen of his race. Large and powerful with the face that could kill a kodo where it stands.

"Har har har!! Slasher, wut brings you to the umie city you dirty dog?" Goregreedy says in a phlegm filled voice.

Slasherjoe is a proud warrior of the Horde. He got his name from a human named Joe that he came to know in a prisoner camp in the Borean Tundra. The story goes that the now presumably dead human tried to plead for his life from Slasher, who was assigned to keep prisoners in line for exchanges with the Alliance. While begging he tried to speak to Slasher in Orcish. However, the word he used for mercy came out as the word Slasher, he loved it so much he adopted it.

"Has da boss showed up yet? Shee said shee was gonna meet wif us dis afternoon ere in da garden" Slasher says through his gleeming white tusks.

"Wut? da boss said shee wanted you ere too?!" Goregreedy replies "Uf dat slimy ittle elfling thinks shees gonna orda bowf of us around shees got anodder ting comin!!"

Like a razors edge, a stern voice cracks through the air. "What exactly is it that I have coming to me Death Knight?!?"

The beautiful Blood elf noble walks out from behind a nearby statue like a graceful pillar of strength and power. Quickly, the two orcs spring to attention.

"Oh, boss its goot to see ya. Oh, me and Slasher wer talkin about anofer elf boss we know, not you" Goregreedy manages to reply.

The timeless elf surveys the pair for a moment with her stern, unyielding gaze.

"Have either of you seen or heard from Calmfury?" she breaks the tense silence.

Slasherjoe speaks up. "Uh, no Master, no one has eard from eem in a few weeks. Evah since em and Garrosh faced off. I heard that da Garrosh had em cut in two and fed to da Worgs."

"No, I eard that da Taureen ave em hiding in Thunda Bluff" Goregreedy says with a smile.

No emotion plays across the Blood Elf nobles face. She stands in silence like the nearby marble statues.

"I want the two of you to go to Thunder Bluff and find Calmfury. Bring him here immediately! I don't care if Garrosh wants him dead. Bloodlust recruited and paid him in advance to help us with our assault on the Titan city of Ulduar. Do what ever it takes to bring him to me here in Dalaran."

"Uh, yes boss. Weel go now and bring him back." Slasher says confidently.

The two orcs break ranks and head directly for the portals back to Kalimdor, as the noble watches with cold, distant eyes.

"We will penetrate the defenses of Ulduar and unlock its secrets. I need all the strength and ferocity you can give me Calmfury, Guardian of Cenarius."

pt 9 Shadows of betrayal

So, it seems that my rage and ferocity have made me unbalanced. I recall the lessons of my youth where I was told to be austere and dispassionate, that strong emotions are the enemy of balance, but I never took them seriously. Once I had learned to tap my primal instincts, it became easy to dwell on the rage of the bear, or the ferocity of the lion. So, after all this time, how do I satiate such feelings? I have fed the wolf inside me, and he has become so big that he is unmanagable. Perhaps the truth is that I fear facing the ravenous beast inside me and it is easier to just let him run free.

Tonight Meekha and I have found a new camp in the grassy valley of Mulgore. I am so happy to share this place with her, I lived as a calf here once long ago and my love for this land is rooted in my very soul. An elder once told me that the Earthmother nourishes the grasses of Mulgore to grow tall as she nourishes the Tauren of Mulgore to grow virtuous.

"Master!! look what I have found!!" Meekha yells out in delight over the evening winds.

From out of the grass she runs holding in her hands something that looks like a large chicken with a huge, axelike beak.

"Meekha, put that down. It is a Plainstrider hatchling and its mother is likely looking for it." I say firmly.

"Oh no Master, I havent seen its mother anywhere. It's all alone Master, shes an orphan! We have to take care of her."

My heart flutters in my chest. A full grown Plainstrider can easily kill a lion with its very sharp and powerful beak. I would hate to have the face the fury of a matriarch protecting its young.

"CAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW" the hatchling lets out a cry.

"Meekha, put the bird down now. It wants to return to its parents!" I command.

The little gruntlings eyes grow wide and she drops the bird at her feet. To my dismay the hatchling just sits there and begins making an awful noise, like its being murdered.

I rise to my feet, surveying the grassy fields around us, no plainstriders in sight. With a quick motion I scoop up the bird and head off away from camp.

"Meekha, Stay here!"

I walk a few hundred yards away from camp looking for the herd where this hatchling likely came from. In the fading evening light it is hard to make out exactly what is stalking the prairie. Then, my nose catches the scent of rotting flesh. I follow the scent and find the slaughtered remains of a plainstrider lying in the grass. It appears to have been shot with a rifle of some sort, and the best cuts of meat have been sliced away from the carcass.

We have always known that we have strangers living in our valley. Goblins from a band calling itself Venture company, and a group of filthy Dwarves digging for artifacts in the nearby hillside. It is likely that this dead Matriarch is a victim of one of these groups.

It is then that I notice a shape moving across the grasslands not far from me. It's hard to make out because of the dying light, but it appears to be carrying something large. Perhaps it is our poacher!! I place the orphaned hatchling down in the grass and shift to lion form.

However, to my horror, the Plainstrider chick begins to squawk loudly at the perceived danger of a predator. Hot flashes of rage shudder through me as I quickly consider whether I should kill the hatchling on the spot to shut it up. However, guilt over what Meekha would think if she found out quells my frustration, and instead I slink away into the grass after what is now my prey.

To my relief it seems the birds cry of alarm did nothing to alert the poacher, and I quickly pick up the trail left in the grass. Once I pick up the scent of my quarry I am surprised, it is not the smell of a goblin or any other foreigner but that of a tauren, and mixed in I can detect the faint odor of a rotting flesh.

Now, two things puzzle at this point. First, a tauren native to these lands would recognize the cry of a plainstrider, and know it as an alarm. The first thing we learn as children is to hide when you hear that sound because danger is likely nearby. Second, no tauren hunter would cut the best portions of meat from a kill and leave the rest of the carcass to rot. When we hunt we use all of our kill. I have heard tales of tauren who have been raised in other places across Azeroth some who have even joined groups like the Venture company. Perhaps this is the case with this trespasser.

I continue chasing the strange tauren through the grass, careful not to give away my presence. After a short period of time the figure comes to an area near the some trees at the bottom of a hillside. I can see in the starlight as the tauren gently places the bundle on the ground and sits down next to it. Not long after, I hear sobbing.

"Bellana my dear, I have found a nice place for you to rest. I wanted to take you back to Ashenvale, but it is too dangerous for me to go there." the quiet voice is carried on the shifting wind to my sensitive ears.

Both her scent, and my recognition of the voice makes me realize that this tauren is Charibdys. I also get a better scent of the bundle she is carrying, it smells like the unmistakable stench of a dead night elf, I recognize it as the one we killed on the bluff the day before.

"Oh little sister! I am sorry for what has happened! Why did you have to come?!? You knew there was a chance I would be here." Charibdys exclaims.

Rage wells up inside me again. There are those in the order of druids that are friends with Night elves. But this elfling was no druid, she was a huntress. Why would Charibdys have such a close relationship with her? Why would would she call her sister!! Perhaps Charibdys is an Alliance spy!

The grieving tauren rises from the ground and begins digging with a small shovel. I looks as though she is making a grave for this elf in our sacred earth.

I must think. If I confont her now she may tell me lies and try to hide what she is doing. If I kill her outright, as I want to, then the elders will never know if I lost control and killed her without reason. Maybe it is best to simply go to Elder Hamuul and tell him what I saw. I know where this grave is, it will be my proof for the elders. I can redeem myself to them and expose a traitor.

Carefully, I back away from the scene. Under the cover of night and the wind it doesn't take me long to make my way back to Meekha.

"Master, you are back! Look who came back to our camp before you."

There sitting quietly next to Meekha is the plainstrider hatchling. I stare at the two orphans in astonishment. Two peas in a pod.

"Master, what is wrong? You look mad again? I stayed here like you told me I swear! The bird came to me." Meekah says pleadingly.

"It is okay Meekha, I an not mad at you. Something is not right and I have to tell the elders."

"Is the Alliance back Master!!" she exclaims.

"No Meekha," I pause for a bit, deep in thought. "Lie down and go to sleep, we will return to Thunder Bluff in the morning."

I recall the elder once telling me that we need to send infiltrators into the Alliance to prevent a war. Perhaps the Alliance are sending their people to us first to start a war. If Charibdys is one of these spies I will see to it that she suffers.

Pt 8 Considering the bloodshed

These times we live in seem to have more than their share of darkness. For the past season I have felt a looming shadow in my mind. Something is not right in Azeroth, but I do not know exactly what it is.

Lately, the humans have been coming more frequently to our lands. Always with the same goal, to kill our Chieftan. Word has also came to us about similar atacks on Orgrimmar as well, against Thrall himself. Our Night Elf bretheren in Moonglade tell us that King Varian in Stormwind offers a bounty on our leaders heads.

War will only destroy us.

"Elder Hamuul, Beram Skychaser sends word that they are ready to light the funeral pyre. Do you wish to come?" my assistant Turak Runetotem says as he enters my lodge.

"No Turak, it would not be fitting for me to attend. Druids are concerned with life, not death. Let Beram and his shamans see to the deads passage into the afterlife."

Turak bows to me as he backs out of the lodge.

I occurs to me as I sit in the vacant lodge that my concern for life should prompt me to go and visit Cairne today. I am sure he is recovering nicely since yesterdays attack, Charibdys has a gentle gift for tending to the sick and wounded.

As I step out into the warm autumn sun I nod in respect to Magatha Grimtotem sitting in her small lodge across from mine. As always she scowls at me. The sour old crone has her place, I just wish she could put aside her prejudice and bring her clan back into friendship with the rest of the Tauren.

The massive rope bridge swings in the ever present wind as I cross over to the bluff where Cairne's lodge is. My nose is accosted by the sickly sweet smell of the funeral pyre far below us in the valley. So many are being laid to rest this day, so many ruined lives.

A few Tauren still wander about the common area at Cairne's lodge all hang their heads in sorrow. Despite efforts to clear the remains of the battle, the common area still looks ruined. Burnt lodges, scores of arrows sticking out of the great totem pole, scattered bits of torn clothing, and dark patches in the grass where the blood has soaked into the ground. If only warriors bent on victory could see the aftermath of their struggle beforehand, perhaps we would have no war.

To my astonishment, I look across the yard and see Charibdys. She is not tending to Cairne like she was all last night. Instead, she is sitting in the grass under a tree near the great tower. As I approach her I see she is holding something in her hands and sobbing.

"Sweet dear Charibdys, it is a sad time, but why do you dwell on death?" I say as I walk up behind her.

It is then that I notice, she is sitting next to the shattered body of a Night Elf. Charibdys looks up at me and I can see big tears in her red eyes. It looks as though she has been crying for a long time.

"Charidbys, did you know this elf?" I say to her in a whisper.

She pauses for a long time, probably measuring her words.

"Yes Elder, I knew her... Once long ago. Why she came here and took part in this horrible slaughter is beyond my understanding and it breaks my heart."

I glance over her shoulder and see a doll of some sort in her hands. It is stained with blood. Something that a child would carry, not a Night Elf huntress.

"Her name was Bellanna, but when she joined the Alliance army she changed her name to Huntrica, perhaps to sound more ferocious in some ridiculous way. That was the last time we spoke to one another." Charibdys says softly. "The worst part is that I helped Calmfury kill her knowing full well who she was."

I am at a loss for words to comfort her.

"Elder, I need to bury her. From what I know of Night elf funerary rites, she must be buried. If she is burned like the others she may return as a vengeful spirit. However, if I bury her remains deep in the grassy plains she may find rest."

I kneel down before her, looking her deep in the eyes. "Charibdys, you have my blessing to do so. Wrap her remains tightly and go into the valley late tonight. Take no one with you, you do not need anyone thinking that you are giving special favor to our enemies."

She wipes her tear stained cheeks, and smiles gently at me. "Thank you Elder Hamuul Runetotem. You dont know how much this means to me."

I walk away with a heavier heart than I had before. We have all lost loved ones, but for Charibdys to mourn as she is there must be much more to this than she is telling me.

My visit with Cairne is uneventful. Today he is going about his business like nothing happened, when yesterday he was at death's door. Such is the power of druidic healing.

The afternoon draws on into the evening and I am finaly able to return to my lodge. It is there that I find a pleasant surprise waiting for me. Sitting in the dirt next to my grass mat is Calmfury and his tiny Orc servant.

"Calmfury, I am pleased to see you. You don't look worse for wear after what happened. What brings the mighty Guardian of Cenarius to my lodge this evening?"

"Elder!! My Master has found his balance!!" Meekha squeals with delight, only to have her face go from green to bright red with embarassment.

Her comical faux pas is quickly forgotten as the weight of her words hit me like a cool gust of wind on a hot day.

"Calmfury, do tell. What happened?" I manage to stammer as I sit on my grassy mat.

"Well.. " Calmfury pauses as if unsure of his words "Elder, as I fought the raiding party on the ramp yesterday, I came to the realization that I could not stop them as a bear. As they attacked me a sense of serenity came over me and I summoned a typhoon of water to wash them off the lift."

Pondering this development I realize that Calmfury has indeed manifested a power that some druids have to summon and control the forces of nature. However, this power only comes to those who are serene and in balance.

"Calmfury, has it ever occured to you that emotions like anger and hostility will get in the way of your mastery of nature?"

The young bull furrows his brow, deep in thought no doubt. We sit in silence for some time before he responds.

"The way of the feral beast is rage and ferocity. I have always been able to draw upon its power to drive me." He pauses again, this time I watch a tear roll from his eye, something I have never seen before in him. "Elder, I will have to think about this for a while."

The hulking bull rises from the ground, and to my surprise gives me a respectful bow, something he hasn't done in a long time.

"Elder, if you need me for anything I will be wandering the plains in the valley below"

"Very well Calmfury, do not linger there too long, I will be needing you soon." I say to him as he walks slowly out of my lodge. "We will all be needing you young bull, more than you realize."

pt 7 Balance in the midst of chaos

My claws scratch relentlessly against my foes thick armor. I rip and tear, looking for any weakness, with little success. Through his helmet I can see the hideous pale face of the invader. He smiles with a smug confidence, uttering something in his chattering language.

Suddenly, there is a loud explosion nearby and I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder, looking to my left I can see a tall, thin night elf with a gun. She looks cool and confident as she quickly works to reload her weapon for another shot at me.

Fortunate for me, my hide and fur are too thick for them to easily overcome. The armored human wails on me with his sword with little effect, I am used to feeling invulnerable in my bear form.

With a roar I lunge forward at the armored warrior, mauling him with both of my claws. He staggers backwards, a torrent of blood begins flowing from beneath his chestplate. In his eyes, I suddenly see terror, and my nostrels are filled with the sweet odor of fear, I am energized! I rear up on my back legs and prepare to finish him off. As my frothing maw descends upon him I am suddenly stopped by a mystical barrier.

My opponent regains his composure, and begins casting some sort of spell. I roar in defiance and rip at him with my claws, to no avail. His spell finishes and the blood stop flowing from his chest. Then, he raises his sword, clearly refreshed by his own healing power, and strikes me in face.

A searing explosion rips apart one of the nearby of the kodo hide lodges. A tauren emerges from the debris, surrounded in flames. He quickly throws a group of magical wooden totems at his feet, and begins casting a fiery spell at the Alliance invaders.

The paladin before me strikes out again. He seems to be mocking me in some way that I don't understand. Then, I am jolted by an agonizing pain in my backside. Looking back I can see a stubby dwarf wearing black leather armor stabbing me furiously. Again, I hear another explosion and I feel pain in my side as a bullet rips through my flesh. Nausea and weakness wash over me, I recognize the feeling as a poison from the dwarf's daggers.

I cannot fall to them!!

Suddenly, there is a crack of thunder overhead. Above me a very strange cloud forms over the top of the bluff. All at once, lightning roars around me from the cloud, striking my assailants, their bodies sickly convulse from the electrical energy. It's then that I realize, the mystical barrier is gone! I rise with a roar and maul the paladin. His armor buckles and blood once again flows from his chest. I rip and tear at him as he stumbles backwards. Again there is the familar smell of fear. His hands glow as he begins casting another spell of healing on himself, too bad he wont live that long. I roar victoriously as I maul him again. The paladin falls on his back and I pounce upon him. My mouth surrounds his head and I feel my teeth punch through his helm. Blood flows into my mouth as I crush his helmet and its contents.

The rending of this humans body is stopped short by another explosion, followed by a bullet ripping into my shoulder. I look up to see that pesky night elf hunter reloading once again. I leave the paladin to his bloody demise and I charge forward at the hunter. As I raise up to maul her, she fires her gun into my chest. The pain is intense and the breath goes out of me for an instant. As I stand there coughing up foamy blood, I feel a soothing wave of energy flow into my body, instantly energizing me. I look up to see the hunter sprinting across the bluff away from me, surely she hopes to flee.

Then, to my amazement and delight I see roots burst up from the ground and wrap around the delicate night elves legs. As she struggles in vain to escape I charge her again, this time she hasn't been able to reload her gun. I rise and fall atop her with all my weight and rage. My claws and teeth tear through her mail armor. I taste elf flesh. The helpless elf screams in agony as I disembowel her on the spot.

Another surge of energy courses through me, and my wounds begin to close. As I spin around looking for that treacherous rogue, I notice behind a nearby lodge stands the graceful Charibdys. It all makes sense now, she was the one that summoned the storm, she tied the legs of the hunter, and she has been the one healing me all along. Our glance, and my nod is enough to say that we are reconciled.

"Help us please!! The chieftan is down!!" someone yells from across the bluff.

Charibdys and I turn in a panic. There on the ground before his lodge we see our beloved chieftan lying in the dirt. Around him sprawl the broken bodies of his elite honor guard, noble defenders who gave their lives defending their king.

Words completely escape me. Numbness overtakes me as I realise that my whole world has just crumbled around me. What will happen to our people?!? My heart sinks with the crushing weight of what has become.

"Master!!" Meekha screams. "Hurry, the chieftan is still alive!"

Charibdys and I sprint to Cairn's side. He has been badly beaten but, is indeed alive. Meekha kneels next to his gigantic body, holding his hand as she cries. Her little green fingers can not even wrap around one of his. Charibdys, comes to his aid and begins to quickly administer to his wounds.

"Have they gone?" Cairne croaks weakly.

"Yes they have Chieftan, they are gone. Your gonna be okay. I am healing your body." Charidbys says confidently.

Just then, a horn blows from the great tower in the middle of Thunder Bluff.

"Defenders come quickly, they are attacking again!!" the herald cries out.

Rage wells up in my heart. They have come to try to finish the job!

"Calmfury, go to the lift! You have to stop them. I will come help as soon as I can." Charibdys says, her voice in a near panic.

It all becomes clear now, I can stop them at the lift. Purpose fills my body as I whirl about, and begin running.

"Master!!" Meekha screams to me. But, it is too late, I shift into my lion form and sprint for all I am worth. If I am to die, this is where I wish to make my stand, defending my people.

As I near the ramp leading out to the lift, I see scores of dead bodies scattered across ground. Some are the remains of our foes, others are brave defenders, still others are the defenseless inhabitants of Thunder Bluff, cut down where they stand for whatever amusement that slaughter brings.

To my horror, I realize that no one else is here to help me defend. I look about, and all the guards seems to be dead or injured, and no one else is coming.

Looking down the side of the tall bluff I can see a large crowd of Alliance attackers loading onto the elevator. The rope creaks and I realize that they are on their way up.

My mind races. If I change to my bear form, I can stop them for a short time, at least until I am overwelmed. I suddenly feel helpless, and utterly powerless to prevent this disaster, rage wells up into my soul. What irony, my moment of truth, all my strength, all my primal rage and I am unable to kill enough of these bastards to make a difference. The elevator nears the top.

"Your rage will be your undoing Calmfury. You need to be a little more calm and a little less furious" Charibdys's words cry out in my head, a painful memory at the worst possible time. My helplessness is magnified and the rage melts away.

The huge elevator reaches the top of the ramp. There before me are the leering faces of my terrible foe. All smiling at me with their smug, arrogant faces as they begin surging forward onto the ramp

Then, like a dream from beyond, it comes to me. I hold up my hands to the sky, pleading with the Earthmother. As I do, a powerful typhoon blasts forth from my body towards the crowded lift. The wall of water hits them hard in their faces, blowing them all backwards with the force of a tidal wave, and off the back of the lift. Scores of helpless bodies hurl screaming through the air, falling to their deserved deaths on the hard earth below.

At last, I think I have found my balance.

Pt 6 An orphans grief

I have brought my master to ruin.

For the past several days we have wandered together across the grassy plains of Mulgore. My master has said little. Yesterday when we hunted and slaughterd a kodo, he showed me how to peel the hide and prepare and cure the meat for eating. Other than that he has been quiet and it has made me nervous and scared.

Today, he seems to have confined himself to sitting on a rock and muttering something to the wind. All I can seem to do is sit in the nearby dirt and poke at insects with a stick.

I feel so foolish, and responsible for what happened. It all happened so quickly, I ran into the pavilion looking for my masters travel bags. Everyone had piled their belongings in the back of the room. I thought our travel bags would be obvious from everyone elses, they are made from the hide of a dragon my master killed. When I did find and opened what I thought were his bags, inside were nothing but dirty clothes, a severed head and some loose gold coins. It was then that a hissing, nasty troll grabbed me and brought me to Garrosh.

How could I make such a stupid mistake. Everything that my master has fought for and accomplished, I destroyed in an instant. It seems that nothing I do makes him happy. My mother and father must be ashamed of me.

"Master, I am so sorry for what I have done." I say under my breath so he can't hear. "I wish I was worthy of serving you."

The wind whistles in the grass. Off in the distance I can hear the cry of a plainstrider. A lonely, hopeless feeling overcomes me, and I begin to quietly cry.

"Meekha..." my master says in a deep tone "You could not be more worthy. In all of Azeroth I am certain that there are no other gruntlings who have done their masters more honor than you have done for me. If I learned to serve my elders as well as you have served me... this world would be a much better place."

The wind howls once again and the tears begin to fall like rain from my face. Shivers wash across my body as I wrap myself around the massive leg of my master.

Sobbing, I say to him "Master, the elders are wrong about you. You have not lost your balance."

"Yes Meekha, I think I have. In my fervor to become the beast, I have forgotten how to be the master of nature."

With tears staining my dirty face I look up into his eyes. In them I see the anger he has always wore proudly replaced by sorrow. It is a sight that hurts me to my soul.

"Master, you will find it again. You can remember things that you once knew." I say eagerly

"Meekha, you are an orphan, but you at least had parents who lived and died honorably, they are heroes of the Horde. In these things you can at least find comfort. As for me... My mother died when I was a calf of an illness brought by the first humans who came to this land. Meanwhile, my father was a painter, he painted banners and shields for the warriors that went to war. He did not know how, or even want to raise a son. So, at a young age I became a druid. Hamuul was the only father I ever really knew."

As my Master told me these things, a shiny glimmer of light across the plains caught my eye. As I stared in the distance I could see the shape of a rider, in armor, tearing across the valley. It was odd because the form did not glide like a kodo rider. Instead, it bounced like the jousters in the Argent Tournament.

"Master, what is that?" I say as I point across the plain.

He raises his eyes to peer across the valley. Soon, a whole host of shining, armored riders come into view. Riding in tight formation, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.

"Assassins, murderers!! Alliance scum come to kill our Chieftan!" my master bellows as he rises from the grass.

In one graceful motion he grabs, and throws me onto his shoulders. Then, as we surge forward I feel his flesh begin to change. He falls forward onto his hands and shifts into a savannah cat. I cling for my life to his tawny fur as we begin to sprint through the grass towards the city of Thunder Bluff.

We must raise the alarm!!

pt 5 Facing the hatred

Highlord Trion Fordring yells "My congratulations, champions. Through trials both planned and unexpected, you have triumphed!"

The crowd roars with jubilation. Tauren, Orcs, all the collected races of the Horde leap from their seats, chanting the name Calmfury!! I stand in the center of the ring filled with a pride and joy that I have not felt in very long time. At my feet, the broken body of the mysterious Black knight, agent of the Lich king, felled in honorable combat. Above me, in the rafters of the coliseum, I can see my beloved Warchief Thrall, beside him I can see the Overlord of the Warsong Offensive, Garrosh Hellscream. Both look upon my gore laden form and nod in approval. Once again, I have proven my worth to the Horde.

As I turn in triumph I can see the scowling, hideous face of Varian Wrynn, King of Stormwind. Even from here, standing in blood and gore, I can smell his wretched human flesh. His eyes glare at me balefully, and I can not help but spit on the ground in defiance of him. I wish so much I could just leap into the rafters and finish him where he stands.

Trion yells to me over the cheers "Calmfury, you may leave the coliseum now. We have to prepare for the next challenge."

Trion Fordring is likely the only human I can respect. He still has all the physically repulsive traits the their kind carries. But, he exudes a kind of power, a presence, his words inspire like no other, save for of course Overlord Garrosh. His leadership of the Argent Crusade has been brilliant, and forming the Argent Tournament to weed out the weak and bring forth the best warriors to fight Arthas is genius. If we send a massive army in to siege Icecrown citadel, Arthas will simply use the fallen corpses of the weak to attack us.

Sadly, Trions fatal flaw is in the ridiculous notion that the Horde and Alliance can set aside their "differences" and work together to defeat the scourge. We don't need the Alliance to do what we have been born to do. I believe that the tournament will prove once and for all that the Horde reigns supreme.

I give one last glance to my warchief, as I shift out of my powerful bear form. My exit from the coliseum is slow as I revel in the fading glory.

I step into the cold, night wind of Northrend, utterly spent and fulfilled. Fighting always gives me a powerful hunger and I am eager to join the celebration feast. Surely, after my victory the spoils will be glorious.

"Calmfury, come smoke with me and let us talk about what is good in life" the voice of Hamuul Runetotem cuts through me like the arctic wind. Standing alone in the frigid night, wrapped in a kodo hide, I can see him, a frail old bull in a place he does not belong.

I snort at him "What are you doing here... Elder Hamuul? Shouldn't you be chasing animals in Mulgore?"

He physically recoils at my rudeness, and stammers a bit "Calmfury..." the frost from his hot breath has time to dissipate before he finishes his sentence "I have come a long way to see you. Charibdys said you had some difficulty finding the crystals I sent you to get."

"No doubt she told you all about it." I snap back

"No, actually, she didn't want to talk about what happened. I was hoping you'd tell me. She was pretty upset." Hamuul replies.

I can see him shivering in the cold air. Deep inside I take some joy in his suffering. Foolish old bull!

"Ha ha, not as upset as she'll be when I see her again. I can promise you that."

The old elder looks at me for a long time before shaking his head and looking at the frozen ground. "Calmfury, I watched you in the arena tonight, you are quite ferocious. The feral disciplne seems to come naturally to you. I have never seen one who has mastered it like you have."

I am startled by his words. He has never called me masterful before. I can't help but think back to the days in the fields of Mulgore when he would patiently instruct me in the ways of the druid. It seems like a lifetime ago.

Elder Hamuul looks up at me once again. "Did you collect the yellow crystals as I have asked?"

"Of course I have, I will have them brought... Meekha, where are you!!"

Out of a nearby stone hallway the little gruntling runs to me. "Bring me the leather sack full of crystals, it is in the travel bag" I command

"Yes Master!" she exclaims eagerly "I'll be right back!"

As the little orc runs off, Hamuul says to me in a whisper "Calmfury, it has been over a moon since I have sent you on this errand. Why did you not bring me the crystals sooner?"

His question grates on me, and I feel a flash of anger well up in me. "I have been busy!! I have other duties besides running your foolish errands!!"

The old Elder seems to have enough of my rudeness and he bellows back at me. "Foolish!?! Do you even know what these crystals are used for?!?"

I stare at him for a long moment, feeling the anger in me burning like a hot coal. "I am not the idiot you think I am Hamuul. They are used by the caretakers of those who slumber in the Emerald Dream. Why I had to get them for you is the only mystery to me, well that, and why you sent your nursemaid to guide me along!"

Hamull roars back at me. "Well, if your so wise to our ways young bull, then you would realize why we sent you to get them. You'd figure out that we want you to go into the Emerald Dream! Perhaps there you will find the Balance you have so easily forgotten!!" His deep voice echoing in the frosty, mountain air.

A hot rush of embarassment and anger washes over me. I see all around us the forms of people huddled in the night, trying to keep warm. Knowing that they have been stirred by our conversation, knowing that they have all heard what he just said.

The silence is long. I stand there staring at him, hatred and rage brewing in my heart. I want to rip him from limb to limb and throw is body onto the nearby glacier, to remain frozen for all eternity.

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!! Master!!!" a shrill cry pierces the night. All my rage, frustration and resentment is instantly replaced by fear. Meekha!!

My legs turn to rubber as I tear through the snow towards her scream. With fluid ease I shift into my fastest form, the savannah cat, and sprint across the tournament grounds. So many things are a menace here in the frozen north. Worst of all is the hungering undead that stalk the night. My mind races with the possibilities, my muscles tense, ready for a fight to save my little Meekha.

As I come around the coliseum I can see a commotion in the nearby Sunreaver Pavilion. This is the place where the Horde congregate and find shelter from the arctic winds. It is where my vistory feast was to take place tonight. It is also the place where I left my bags.

Another scream from within the pavilion adds additional panic to my already racing heart. I leap through the air and into the doorway, knocking over a lithe Blood elf who was unlucky enough to be walking through the entranceway at the wrong time.

Inside I see a large gathering of orc warriors lounging about the room eating and laughing. In the center of the room, I see Garrosh Hellscream standing over the prone body of my little Meekha.

"You think you can get away with thievery little one?!? I'll make an example out of you" Garrosh roars at my helpless Gruntling.

I watch in horror as the massive warrior picks up his axe. The assembled revelers are obviously amused by this event, and eagerly await its inevitable, bloody conclusion.

I shift in an instant, and feel my powerful tauren legs wobble beneath me in terror. "Garrosh!! No!!" I roar.

The room goes silent. All eyes turn to me, including those of the mighty Garrosh Hellscream.

"At last, it is our champion Calmfury. We have been waiting for you to join us. Let me finish this business and we can celebrate together." he says with an evil grin.

I stride forward though the crowd, kicking aside several orcs lounging on the floor.

"Garrosh!! Leave my gruntling be, she is on an errand for me!" I realize too late that I spoke a forceful command to the Overlord of the Warsong Offensive.

Garrosh shoots me a fierce look and bares his tusks at me in anger. "Well, your gruntling is a thief, we caught her in the act. The punishment is death!!"

"Master, I was not stealing anything, I swear!! I opened the wrong bag looking for your crystals." Meekha screams in anguish.

A weedy little orc next to me laughs "Not only is she a thief, shes a liar!! Kill her!!"

Without even thinking, I plant my hoof into the face of the unsuspecting orc, producing a sickening crunch as one of his prized tusks flies from his now bleeding mouth.

This time I do not hold back my commanding tone on purpose. "Do not lay a hand on her Garrosh!! She is innocent!"

A tense silence falls across the room. Garrosh pulls himself up to his full height. I see his brown knuckles go white as they squeeze the handle of his axe.

"I am Garrosh Hellscream, Overlord of the Warsong offensive, I decide who is innocent here, and I will mete out justice as I see fit... Perhaps it is fitting for the master to pay for the crimes of his thieving servant.. with his own life!" Garrosh says through snarling lips. The crowd roars in agreement with his words. Clearly they have not seen enough blood for one night. "I will rip your body to pieces tauren, and I will hang you and your slave from the rafters with your own entrails!!"

I struggle to call the power of nature to aid me. I cannot defeat the mighty Garrosh, but if I could just remember the spell to wrap him in roots, perhaps Meekah and I could get away. My mind races to find the Balance again.

Garrosh hefts his axe onto his shoulder and slowly begins walking towards me. I can see the burning hatred in his eyes, I know his intention. I have insulted him before his assembled warriors, and for this I will pay with my life.

"Garrosh!!"

The commanding voice of Thrall booms across the pavilion. All eyes turn to the doorway and to the presence of our Warchief.

"I am the only one that decides who lives or dies and who is innocent! Leave Calmfury and his gruntling alone."

Never were uttered words so sweet to my ears. Meekha springs to her feet and runs to my side. "Master I am so sorry... I wasn't stealing anything, I swear to you!!"

Garrosh stands motionless before me. I am easily within axe swing of him. But he stays his hand. "A true warchief would see justice done, and not allow weaklings to question their superiors!!"

The rage suddenly rises in me, and I wonder for a moment if I could stand in a fight with Garrosh.

"No Garrosh, a true warchief knows when to be merciful. I gifted this gruntling to Calmfury myself. She is no thief... her parents were heroes! Once again, I am disappointed in you." Thrall says forcefully. The impact of his words shakes the throng of warriors in the hall. The only sound is the howling wind.

Garrosh glares at me for a long moment with pure hatred painted across his face. "You helped me once in Nagrand, Calmfury, Guardian of Cenarius... Now, I owe you nothing." he utters under his breath.

With a bellowing roar, he embeds his axe in the wooden floor at my feet. "Get out of my pavilion tauren!!" he yells.

Without hesitating, I turn and scoop up Meekha and head for the doorway, pausing only to grab my travel bags. Thrall gives me a reassuring look as I quickly walk past him into the cold and dark night.

Outside the pavilion, standing like a persistant spectre, there awaits Hamuul.

"Please... come back to Mulgore with me Calmfury." he says in a whisper.

I stand there before him, in the blowing snow, wondering how this night of joyous victory was so easily turned into anguish.

"Go back to Thunderbluff Calmfury, do not worry about Garrosh, I will deal with him. His memory only lasts as long as his anger." I turn to see Thrall standing behind me.

"Yes my warchief." I reply sorrowfully.

pt 4 Charibdys, the soft voice

The Tanaris desert is insufferable. An endless ocean of sand, dust, and the dried bones of any unfortunate beast that ends up there. The sun beats down upon my painfully dry skin and my eyes are shut against the torrent of this environment.

My name is Charibdys, I am a druid of the ancient order. Even though I am a master of nature and balance, I am unable to find comfort in this place. It's as if both Elune and the Earthmother have abandoned its reaches. Yes, even though I am Tauren, I revere the moon goddess of the Night Elves, but that is another story.

Yesterday I was beckoned by a storm crow to come to this place to meet another druid I have come to know by the name of Calmfury. I only know that he is on a secret errand for Arch Druid Hamuul.

Several moons ago I was asked by the Elder to watch Calmfury. To follow and accompany him, and to report his activities. I hate having to be a spy, but I suspect that the Elders have some important task for him. No, correct that, I know they do, and I am at the heart of it. Calmfury is unlike any other druid I have met, he is unbalanced. At his core is some sort of rage or resentment that I don't understand. Frankly, I dont know how he came so far in the order. Few are disciplned enough to follow the feral path of the druid. But, Calmfury has embraced it with all of his soul.

In the distance I begin to see dark shape in the blowing sand storm. I can tell by its loaping movement that is it a tauren on the back of a massive raptor, it is Calmfury for sure. As I rise from the sands my beautiful white frostwolf mount rises with me. Sarib his her name and she is my companion on this trip. The poor girl is miserable in this heat, but she is too loyal and hearty to complain.

The monsterous shape comes to a sliding stop in the sands before me. I feel uneasy as I am surveyed by him. But, I know this is his way, even though we have gone on countless adventures together he will still analyze me as if I am some sort of threat.

"It is me Calmfury... I was told to meet you here." I manage to yell over the howling winds.

"I know who you are Charibdys, but what I dont know is why you would have to accompany me on such a mindless errand."

"As I said I was told to meet you."

He continues to stare at me like I am some sort of mirage that will soon go away.

"Let us go then. Keep up because I won't wait for you" he finally says.

I mount quickly and we tear off through the whirling sandstorm. His raptor is fast and poor Sarib does her best to keep up. We ride through the remainder of the day, crossing the seemingly endless dunes. Then at near dusk we come across the walls of the great barrier that marks the edge of the Un goro crater. Beyond lies a dense primordial jungle filled with ancient beasts. A bizarre haven in this strange land that has defied the logic of the wisest of scholars, it should not exist.

In the looming darkness we descend the small trails that lead down into the crater floor. Instantly, the smell of humid air, rotting vegetation, and a tinge of sulphur assaults my nose. As we near the bottom the air becomes thick with humidity. Off in the distance a scream pierces the evening. Some massive beast in the deep jungle no doubt.

"We will camp here for the night. Tommorrow we go in search of the crystals I need." Calmfury says commandingly.

"Crystals?" I reply "what crystals?"

Calmfury hops off the back of his raptor and sets the beast free to hunt for its meal. No doubt the creature once lived here in its youth.

"Calmfury, I asked you a question!"

The belligerant bull just goes about his business setting up a camp and ignoring me. No doubt he is not happy with my presence here. I hop off the back of Sarib and lead her to the bubbling pool of water nearby. She laps greedily at the spring.

"What kind of fool would ride a wolf into the desert?" Calmfury says with a sneer.

"The kind that would seek companionship with you I guess." I respond under my breath.

He said he is after crystals here. I know of only one type of crystals and what they are used for here in Un goro. They were harvested to near depletion some years back by blacksmiths for their tempering quality. Now, the unwanted mineral growths spawn in diverse places across the crater manifesting various colors. The yellow ones are used sparingly by druids for one purpose, to induce the transition into the Emerald Dream by druids seeking to unveil its mysteries.

"Calmfury, do you know what the crystals here are used for?"

"No, why should I care? The elders need them for something."

I ponder this development as I watch him build a fire. The night continues to draw on, and is made darker still by our position at the bottom of this crater. At one time I had excellent night vision. Now, I can hardly see a thing.

Something brushes across my leg and I look down to see a strange mouse like creature. It seems playful and friendly enough so I sit down to observe it. A species I had never seen or even heard of before.

"Calmfury, have you ever seen this animal before?"

Without looking up he snorts at me "Of course I have, there's nothing new in this jungle."

I can't help but shake my head at him. He's so disconnected with nature, with the earthmother. Maybe it would be best if he was kicked out of the order and allowed to just lose himself in the fight with the Alliance.

"Calmfury, aren't you interested in the creatures that live in this place?"

"No, they are like everything else. Our lives are a perfect reflection of the Tanaris desert, just dust and bones" he responds sarcastically.

"What? Are you stupid or something? What about the balance of nature? What about the Earthmother you claim to love so much?"

Calmfury looks up at me with a hateful stare. He drops his camp bag and raises his arms to the sky. Then, a searing bolt of light pierces the darkness. It focuses on the small creature at my feet and incinerates it in a blast. "There's your balance. Just dust and bones like I said"

"You arrogant bastard!! Your no better than the Alliance soldiers you hate so much. You just take and destroy without thinking!!"

Calmfury shutters at my comment. For a long moment he stares at me with murder in his eyes. A growl rising in his throat.

"What?!? You gonna kill me now? You gonna kill anyone, Taurens too, that dare criticize your hypocracy!?!"

My taunt is too much for him and in an instant he turns to a lion. Before I can act, he leaps in the air towards me. My first reaction is to create a typhoon of water that blasts him back away from me. His body hits hard against the side of the crater. As he recovers, I begin to call on the nearby roots to immobilize him. He sprints towards me faster than I thought he could move. As he pounces through the air my summons is heard and massive vines wrap around his body, stopping his assault.

"Whats the matter Calmfury? Lose control of your temper?"

With a frothing growl he responds"No, I thought perhaps the raptors would like some fresh meat".

His intention is clear, and the murderous intent is in his eyes. I have to end this. I begin casting another spell.

"Your rage will be your undoing Calmfury. You need to be a little more calm and a little less furious"

With that my spell finishes, and my power to force animals into hibernation takes hold of him.

"Sleep it off!! Good night young Tauren!"

pt 3 The confrontation

"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.