Oracle Warburn Smoketusk Kidnapped !!

[Aitana]

The tea was continuing to work its magic. There was still an intensity to Aitana's words, but she had composed herself. In the back of her mind she hoped that she had not startled her friends who had never seen her temper in action.

"I am not sure that they are. So much of the so called 'intelligence' we get is misinformation. But there are elements of truth in it, or so I believe. I believe that the Delfias are holding him. There can only be one course of action: Rescue Warburn and make the humans pay for taking him. Defias, Kingship of the East, other? They are all pink skins and they are all the same to me."

Aitana paused as if reconsidering her words. There had been some that had shown her kindness when she had been kidnapped. And it seemed that not all of them were pleased that she had been kidnapped. That cooled the fire slightly.

"Well, there are a few among them that are honorable .... But this is inexcusable. The humans must pay."

[Tasera]

As the drums of war began to sound on the side of the horde, a large plague hound continued through the darkness towards Stormwind. Despara raised his head, grabbing a few sniffs of the breeze. He still had his scent, and it was far stronger then the trail he was tracking before. He snarled, just slightly, before rearing up and releasing a deafening howl into the winds.

Tasera knew her companion would be close this evening, her connection to the hound told her so. Inside her new hut she sat, hands resting on her knees as she fell into a meditative state. The smell of incense wafted in the air to comfort her and add to her concentration. She had never tried such a dangerous move as to see and control one of her pets from such a great distance. She would need all the concentration and mental strength she could muster to not loose herself.

As she prepared her mind for what was to come, she heard it. The winds, shifting through the tree’s, and too her ear a lone howl that only she could hear. “He’s dere…” she whispered to herself, then closed her eyes. The troll whispered a few prayers for protection to the Loa, and then began to chant the spell that would embed her mind into the plague hound’s. The spell was carried by the wind, and the mental strain was causing her to sweat. For a good five minutes this continued, many times she nearly lost concentration, and then success. The troll’s head flew back and her eyes opened wide, a glow emanating from her pupils and her hands glowing with a mysterious green energy.





Back on the borders of Stormwind, Despara released another long yowl. Shifted from side for a moment as his consciousness left him. Then abruptly he stopped the nervous shuffling. He peered down, and his eyes began to shift radically in color and shape. A vibrant red iris over took them, with a slitted cat like pupils in their center. Tasera’s eyes, she had Despara under her grasp.

She raised the hounds head, so she could identify where the sent was coming from. Naturally it was stormwind. “Great…dis is just great!” she whispered to herself, but to any listening ears it would be, “Arff aro arf bark”.

Tasera sighed and began to run full speed into the city. Such a plague hound as Despara was common, if she hung low, hopefully the guards would assume she was just a stray hunters pet running around for a meal. Luckily for her and the livelihood of Despara, the guards paid no notice to the galloping mutt tearing a path deep into the cities center. The scent of Warburn was strong and her hounds nose held onto the scent without fail. But then her swift running came to a swift halt. The Stormwind stockades rested in front of her. The newer guards eyed the hound carefully, none of them smiling as the dog peered up at them. Tasera’s mind was racing how to trick them?! She sighed, to herself and swallowed her pride.

Inching back slowly Tasera looked at the guards, but then bounced down. Rear up in the air and tail wiggling back and forth. She barked playfully and bounced from side to side, trying to look as playful as she could. To her luck the guards to the stockades let out a hearty chuckle. They spoke to each other in a language she could not grasp, then seemed to look around for something to toss her for a game of fetch. As they had their backs turned away, Tasera saw her chance and barreled past the guards and into the Stockades.

The two guards were quick to turn around and watch the hound jet past them. Their eyes both narrowed, knowing now what had just happened. One ran into the stockades after her, the other went to go seek a higher authority to get the word out to stop the mutt.


When she was in a darker place, she slowed her pace, she attempted to grab the Troll’s scent once again. Despara’s large claws tapped loudly against the stone flooring as she turned from side to side trying to find a proper path. Suddenly she caught the scent once again and lifted her head to find the path in that direction. On either side of her though, prisoners reached out, grabbing at her, begging and pleading for food and the key’s to escape. Tasera gulped, which to the prisoners sounded like her whining. She couldn't take this sight for long. She had to find Warburn, and see if she can break him out with the power of a mutt that helped defeat “K.T.”. She heard a series of yells behind her, the guards were already on her trail. Growling to try and regain confidence she started to barrel her way once again through the stockades, deeper and deeper towards her target.

The yells of the guards were far behind her now. She slowed her pace just the slightest. Deep with in the prison now she searched around. He had to be here. The prisoners were far more subdued, and there was a grim quiet that befell this particular room. The few others eyed her in surprise, looking at this strange hound from the outside world. She paid them no mind and kept walking, that is, until she found Warburn’s cell. Her eyes lit up and she growled. She looked around to see if here was someway she could fit this barrel chested canine through the bars. There would be no luck there, so instead, she decided to be her usual brash self. She reached Despara’s head through the bars and bit Warburn on the toe, to beak him from meditation and to see if he could help her figure something out before the guards got here.

[Asarelah]

Asarelah looked up from rolling bandages, coming to full alert, at the sound of an unholy howling; baying so full of anguish, that it set her teeth on edge. Wasting no time, she headed out the door toward the tormenting sound; nearly running face first in to her Stable Master.

"Mistress, Bane do be raising such ruckus, none can soothe da beast. There be no ansah from Tasera's cottage. I got one a me man bangin at 'er door. She be in dere a'right, 'n we be right worried..." the Master said, wringing his hands as he spoke.

"Not to worry, I shall tend to it," Lah said, hurrying to the stone hut that was Bane's exclusive hidey hole. "There now, big fella, time to calm down. It's all right," Asarelah purred, casting Mind Soothe on the beast, and massaging behind his ears. It took only seconds to restore the beast to his slobbery happy self, and she left him with a pat, turning toward Tas' place.

Caring only that her beloved Sister might be in danger, for only that could have set Bane off, Lah opened the door and walked right in. Tasera was sitting in a chair by an open window, but clearly slack jawed in deep trance. Casting Mind Vision on the Troll, Lah was hit with a flash of intense breathlessness from long distance running, and two legs stretched out in front of her, moving fast over uneven ground, that were clearly not humanoid.

"She runs with Despara!" Lah put her hand against her mouth in stunned surprise, "and at such a distance... May the gods have mercy!"

Asarelah did what she could to Ward her sister against insult or injury in her bid to run with the wind, seeing through her hound's eyes. Placing two men on guard at Tas' door, she quietly closed it, and headed toward the Nyxian Tribal Hall to inform Mistress Aitana of Tasera's desperate venture.

[Warburn]

His eyes popped open as soon as he felt the searing breath of the demonic hound. Instinctively he kicked just as Despara bit his toe. The hound gave out a yelp, cursing the dog that bit him Warburn subconsciously placed a Hex on Despara. The demond dog on the other side of the cell door suddenly transformed into a frog. It wasn't a second to soon. Just then a guard just then rounded the corner to see what made the noise. The frog meanwhile took two small hops and was in the Shaman's holding cell.

In the hall outside, Warburn heard another guard meet the first.
"What was it?"

" I don't know. Probably the troll." said the second guard as he peered into Warburn's cell, noticing nothing out of the ordinary.

"It better have been nothing. S7 have something in mind for this one. We need to make sure he lives... long enough for us to get paid."

After a few moments the hex wore off and Despara returned to his usual form, and immediately proceeded to lick Waburn's face, neck and ears. Warburn chuckled from the tickling sensation, grabbed the hounds head and scratched him vigorously. He held the dog with both hands,scratching his under jaw, and looked into the dogs eyes.

"Me'pretty, I sense yah's in dere" Warburn grinned for the first time in days.

"I know yahs'll come fo me."

[Tasera]

Tasera felt something. Not physically, but mentally. Something was trying to tear her connection from Despara’s body. A spell, the stockades must have spells on the cells! Well that would explain why Warburn was unable to do anything in his position. She growled and looked around, unable to escape now. Two days, there was two days and they would make their attack.

She didn’t have much long in the body of Despara, so as she started to pull her connection from the plague hound she ordered the creatures returning conscious to stay with Warburn, and not to leave his side. And then abruptly, she lost it.

There was a massive rush like she was soaring in unimaginable speeds through time and space, and then she slammed back, right into her own body. Her cat like red eyes opened wide and he gasped for air. Her head throbbed in a deep pain.

“Ah, GAH!” she dropped down to the floor and held her head, her body screaming in protest for the unimaginable task she just completed with no assistance. Gritting her teeth and trying to keep composure. She had been through pain far worse then this, but never had she felt this kind of exhausting throb through her whole body. It was debilitating and continuous.

With shaky legs she got up, holding her head with the palm of her hand as she walked out of her hut. She staggered out onto the path and made her way to the home of Asarelah. She did not knock and just entered, hardly able to keep her body upright, “Lah,…Lah,..sistah..” She looked up as her friend did as well. Lah’s expression changed to great concern as she went to the aid of her friend and helped her to sit. “Lah, “ Tasera tried to regain her composure, “I know were he is..I know were Warburn is in the stoackades…and, GAH why my head be hurtin’ so much” She curled over, “I.tink I needs ta sleep…”

[Asarelah]

Gathering Tasera in her arms, much as she would an anguished child, Asarelah cooed softly to the exhausted Troll, as she gently cast Mind Soothe and Renew on her bone weary Sister. Lah heard one of her staff enter at her back, and still cradling Tasera, instructed over her shoulder, "Dragonfin Filet, hot Honeymint Tea... no wait, make that hot Junglevine Wine... and I want them ten minutes ago. Raising her voice as she heard rapidly departing footsteps, she further instructed "and send for Chali, I need her fleet feet.”

“Tasera, I Mind Visioned you running with Dessie, but could only see her lean legs stretched out in endless running. I could do nothing for you but post my men to guard, and cover you with Fortitude and Fear Ward while you ran. Aitana has already been informed that you were running with the wind….”

A breathless Chaliyphah burst in to Lah’s parlour, “Nightwarder, I got your summons. You have need?”

“Chali, run your fastest to Aitana. Get her here….. Now!” Lah spoke, her eyes still locked on Tasera, she nodded in dismissal, sending her young student to go in search of the Oracle.

Gently, Asarelah lifted Tas’ drooping chin, so that their eyes were on a level, and waited for eye contact as the Troll struggled to become more alert. As soon as she could see some semblance of awareness return to Tasera’s eyes, Lah whispered softly, “Sis, what did you see?”

[Tasera]

Tasera sighed as slowly her pain began to fade, "He be deep in da stockades sistah. I've never been dere before, but usin' da hounds nose I was able ta find him in a very dark reach. It be hard ta make any sense of it, my mind be too jumbled." Taking the tea in hand she began to drink it down, trying to soothe the throbbing as best as possible, "I heard gaurds sayin' sumptin when dey lost me trail. Sumptin about S7? " She began to peer around, then a crashing sound was heard outside, rattling the bushes and trees.

"Oh boy..." Tasera looked up as Bane crashed through the door, and darted to his master's side. Both heads licking over her in glee to see her back in her own body. Tasera pushed the demonic beast away, "It's okay Bane!" she let out a small chuckle and the hound looked at her, with almost a happy grin. Trying to calm the core hound down, the troll looked back as Asarelah, "I left Despara wit Warburn...I had ta. Sumptin in da Stoackades tore me away from his mind. After I darted in..well I don't tink da gaurds were dumb, and dey must've put on some sort of ward. " Tasera held her forehead again when the throbbing began to start back up, "I knew dis was not smart and dangerous..but I didn't tink it would hurt this much!" She growled.

[Asarelah]

Asarelah looked up as Aitana entered the room, Chali hot on her heels.

"Mistress, Tas has seen where Warburn lays hidden. Orders?"

[Warburn]

Deep under Stormwind, the human capital city.

The days had turned to weeks. Where were his so-called friends. Had his only master, Lady Nyx forsaken him? If so he accepted that fate, as a soldier of the horde and her loyal servant, he knew any day could be his last.

He felt cold, sick... miserable. The poison dart that had knocked him out must have been contaminated with something else. For gangrene started to set in a couple of days ago. His right buttocks was swollen, and his naturally purple skin was turning black in that area. He couldn't sit anymore. And lying on his side was extremely uncomfortable on the un-even filthy stone floor.

His only comfort was the company of his beloved Tasera's hound - Despera. At first the captive shaman feared for the demon hounds life. Had he barked at all, or even growled at the wrong moment the guards would no doubt have discovered it and have Despara destroyed... and he would not have been able to do a thing to stop them. The hound was well trained, by a veteran troll huntress whom Warburn had to respect even more then he would admit. He had already forgiven her for rejecting his advances with her stubborn mask of troll fury the week before his capture.

If he could but protect Despara for his (secretly) adored huntress long enough for the demon hound to be re-united with it's master... he might be able to see her hazel eyes again, and smiling tusky snarl. That was his only wish at the moment.

He cared not that she was being courted by several of the Nyxian tribe's troll heros. One of whom, Death Knight Theotaz, surprised the captive shaman with being able to feel emotion, let alone love and the wish for marriage. Theotaz had already done more for Tasera then he knew anyone, living, had ever done in a courtship.

Who ever Tasera chose as a partner would be blessed, and that blessing Warburn knew would strengthen the Tribe Warburn had worked so hard to lead in the name of their shadowy matron.

... The sound of footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. Despara rose silently and moved to the corner at Warburn's nudging, and waited. A metal clang hit the floor and a plate of worm ridden potatoes and some moldy bread slid under the door...

The shaman shifted painfully to slide the plate for his only companion to eat.

Warburn Smoketusk was miserable for the first time in 100 years.

[Tindr Thornleif]

“What is the status with Stormwind, Leiute... Tindr?” Commander Leikos had dropped the formalities to speak casually with his friend. He had returned early from his fishing trip and even though he protested his interest in anything beyond retirement, Tindr could tell it would not be long before Leikos would be back taking full reigns of his Commander position again.

“They have asked us for support in securing the city...” Tindr spoke quietly, hesitating only a moment before continuing “....apparently they do not feel their.. Prisoner.. is much of a threat and have allowed many of their guards some relief time to spend with their families at the Faire.”

Commander Leikos nodded, “It is odd that Stormwind agreed to keep hold of him.”

“Aye. I am concerned though. If word has gotten out to the horde that the authorities in Stormwind have relaxed their guards, I would expect an attempt be made in order to free the prisoner.”

Tindr watched the Commander as both stood silently. He could tell that fishing was the furthest from his mind as Leikos was already thinking tactfully on the situation, thinking upon the motive, “Despite their volitile nature, I have doubts that the Kingship were involved in his capture. The Defias seem more likely... but what could they gain from jailing a member of the Horde in an Alliance city?”

Tindr pondered for a moment, “Perhaps they wanted to keep the prisoner away for a time being? Mayhaps draw the hordes attention away from their own lands for a purpose?”

“Or draw our attention back upon the horde...”

Commander Leikos sighed heavily “Maybe its just these old Kaldorei nerves acting up.”

“mm.. perhaps.” Tindr nodded as he glanced up towards the sky, realizing the lateness in the day. He quickly excused himself to prepare the security detail, grumbling under his breath as he turned to walk away, “..hoomans... letting guards have time off .. with a high ranking prisoner in their midst.. Ill never understand them... ”