[pre-Cataclysm event] The Chase ((open RP))

[Shixin]

Chapter 1nnThe armored kodo crashed through the underbrush with the sound of a dozen thunderclouds booming at once. It threaded a path through the larger swamp trees, while younger trees in its path were simply snapped off at their base like twigs, as much a testament to the unnaturally long drought in the area as to the unstoppable force of the rampaging kodo. The short, heavily-muscled reptilian legs pumped incredibly fast, propelling the mount through the wood as if it were a missile. nnSuddenly, alongside the massive beast, another gargantuan burst through the trees, smashing into the kodo's side. The air was filled with the clashing of iron plates as the elekk and kodo came together in a horrendous broadside. The rider of this newcomer, a blue-skinned draenei, pulled a massive hammer free from his mount's saddle and began muttering what Partedhair guessed was to be a prayer or blessing intended to smite him from his seat on the back of his kodo. Draenei Paladins were nothing if not predictable.nnSeeing what was coming, Partedhair used his heavy thighs to turn the charging kodo, opening some space between him and the elekk. "No! Parted ask Wind to silence you!" The tauren Shaman lifted his hand into the air as a shear wind suddenly buffeted the draenei, causing him to grab desperately for his saddle to remain upright. The prayer was gone from the paladin's lips, but Partedhair's brow creased deeply into a frown that would have frightened small children. The wind should have knocked the Paladin from his mount, and Parted would have continued on alone, trying to catch the others. Only...Wind no last long like Parted ask. Wind should knock rider off then good. Wind not listen to Parted. No good, this.nnPartedhair pulled the reins of his kodo hard, sending the rampaging animal into the side of his opponent's mount. Once again, metal crashed and groaned, and this time, the rider lost his grip and was finally dislodged. He fell to the ground and rolled heavily into the trunk of a fully grown oak, as the elekk slowed and turned aside. The tauren rode on, not needing to look behind him at the draenei’s twitching legs, the death spasm, to know the fall had been fatal; he had felt the life leave his enemy.nnWithin a few minutes, he had found the others. They were stopped on the bank of a small river. Partedhair pulled his tired mount to a stop near the others, a pace away from a dead human lying on the ground with a huge bloody hole where his chest had been. The undead Warrior, Pain, was also on the ground, sniffing at some tracks in the wet mud. As always, Pain's lifelessness made Partedhair uneasy, but he was growing used to being around Pain now. And Parted admired Pain's relentless nature, often picturing Pain as a devilish hound that would refuse to give up a bone, thrashing it about until mere pieces remained. A few feet away, Pain's midnight black War Wolf sat on its haunches, looking at its master expectantly. Next to it sat a tiny figure on a large, grim-looking black Fel Horse. The female blood elf riding the black horse had her hood up to block from the light mist that had begun to fall from the gray sky. Her green eyes occasionally flashed from the darkness of the hood.nnPartedhair suddenly caught the scent of a large cat and quickly turned, just in time to see Scarhoof appear from the shadows of the surrounding wood. The large cat began to change form, the muscles beneath its black fur rippling and flowing to fit the much larger frame of a tauren. Scarhoof spoke, his voice low and deliberate as if he was being careful in choosing his words, "I have scouted the area and found no more Alliance. We are safe for the moment."nnA rasping voice came then, the sound of dried leaves being crushed underhoof, "We're deep in their territory. There is no safety." Pain's words were often few and always to the point.nn"Parted agree with no-life warrior. We get what we came for and leave, and then good. No until." Parted shook his head roughly to clear the water from his face. He was still concerned with the way the Wind had misbehaved back in the forest. It left him feeling more than just uneasy.nn“These Kaldorei run as though all the hellhounds of the Molten Core pursue them,” said Scarhoof, his voice rumbling from deep in his barrel chest. “Warburn will not be pleased with us if we do not return with our charges.”nnPartedhair thought back to a few days earlier, when the Oracle Warburn had set for them this task. The old troll had charged them with retrieving two young orcs that had been taken from their homes in Durotar by night elves. At first, it was believed this was an act of retribution for the slaying of a group of Sentinels in Ashenvale, apparently at the hands of orcs from Orgrimmar for some supplies from their caravan. The two orcs were from a farm close to the area that the butchery had occurred. Now, though, it seemed as though there were more to the story, like a small book printed with very small letters but containing very important stories.nnThe would-be rescuers had chased the trail across the ocean and into the Wetlands but were now getting left behind. At first it had looked as though the kidnappers would turn north into the Arathi Highlands, a development that would have made the rescue mission much more difficult as it would have likely meant a trip into the Hinterlands. But then, it appeared they had decided that speed was better than trying a feint in a new direction. They were on a path as straight as an arrow, headed to the mountain passes of Dun Algaz which would take them into Dun Morough. And they were in a hurry.nnShaking himself out of his reverie, Parted found the blood elf Priestess looking penetratingly at him, smiling a smile that never seemed to touch her eyes. She said, "I have reached out with my thoughts to find other minds to see through or control. Other than you three, there is no one near." Her voice was melodious to Parted's ears, but it sounded dangerous to him, as well. Tarja was small, but she was a blood elf and not to be underestimated, Parted reminded himself.nn"Have you any idea of their direction, Pain?" Scarhoof was standing on the riverbank, looking down the long waterway as though he could see around its bends and through its islands. Who know, Parted thought with some bemusement, maybe druid can see long ways down rivers...nnPain looked at the tracks again and rasped, "They forded the river...here." He walked into the water, "but came out on the bank somewhere downstream." The cold water rushed around and through the dead man's legplates. The Forsaken seemed to take no notice of it, however, or if he did, he gave no sign.nnTarja pushed her mount forward. "Then we cross to the other bank here, and move downstream until we find the trail again." Her mount moved across the river without touching the water, levitating through the air until it landed on the opposite bank. Scarhoof leapt towards the river, shapeshifting as he flew into the air, returning to his black-furred cat form. He landed deftly on a rock jutting above the surface of the river, and in three quick bounds, Scarhoof had traversed the river using other rocks that stuck out above the water. The large cat quickly disappeared into the forest on the other side, already on the prowl. Pain, wading deeper into the river, shouldered his axes and whistled shrilly, to which his wolf mount replied by padding towards the water’s edge and splashing into it with no fear. nnPartedhair looked around into the dark forest behind him. Satisfied nothing was going to appear, he urged his kodo down to the riverbank and into the water.nnn________________________________________________________________________________________________nnnThis RP story is intended to set the stage of some open RP for pre-Cataclsym events. Feel free to join in with your own activity, but we ask that you avoid crossing the rescuers path unless they bring you into it. If you'd like to join them on this mission, it might be best to talk to them in PM's and let them RP you into the story. Enjoy!