Postado por Morec0
(( Early to make up for me missing last week, you'll still see Page 18-Part 2- this coming Friday.
Page 17))
Part 1-
Why me? This was the thought that had gone through Lord Scalebender's head over and over, again and again, the entire time that he had moved with the others through The Barrens. Scalebender was a creature of water, a Naga, how did he get himself into this situation?
- But, as bad as the day had been, the night was even worse. The depths of the ocean had been cold, yes, but the darkness that now covered The Barrens surpassed even it. And in the depths there had been a least some water to comfort him, but the air of The Barrens remained void of if.
- However the prize he sought would not be claimed without enduring a few hardships, among them the blazing heat of a cloudless sky, and the chill of a freezing night.
- The only true spark of joy Scalebender had felt was when they had set up camp for the night. Although they could hear them in the distance, the beasts of The Barrens never drew near, the only thing that came close enough to their camp to be seen was a young, dark furred Tauren who kept muttering something about "Dwarves" and "revenge," appernetly oblivious to their presence.
- The three Alliance were already sleeping, so Scalebender had taken the liberty of coiling himself next to the fire; the only source of heat in the camp. But, as he tryed to sleep, Scalebender felt that he was being watched. The Lord Naga looked around untill he noticed Thrrag staring directly at him, an unreadable expression on his face.
- "Yes?" Scalebender asked. "You have something you wish to say?" Thrrag didn't reply. Scalebender sighed. "I understand that you don't trust me, but what I don't understand is; why?" Scalebender's slanted eye's narrowed. "Perhaps you'd care to explain?"
- "You are Naga, a vile abomination of nature," Thrrag replied without so much as blinking. "Need I more reason?"
- Scalebender nodded. "I belive so, we are all allies in this, Orc. We all share a common purpose."
- "No," Thrrag said, "My quest is one of vengence for a fallen freind, yours is without doubt as self-centered and dark as your race."
- Scalebender cringed slightly as the words struck him. "I suppose we don't have much reason to trust you then, either. All we know for a fact about you is that we found you living in the earth. Hiding from the world."
- This time it was Thrrag who cringed. "Touché. But you had best watch your words, Naga, you're a long way from home."
- "As are you," Scalebender replied, "And I don't mean that fissure you call a cave."
- "Besides that 'fissure' I have no home," Thrrag said, his voice softening.
- But Scalebender had heard him. "Ah, an exile them?"
- "Only of the self-imposed kind," Thrrag replied.
- Their was a drawn-out silence between the two before Scalebender spoke again. "I suppose, though, that we are both civilized enough to see that we share common enemys, and to that extent we should-."
- Thrrag interrupted him. "You may have fooled many with your words, Naga, even the young Blood Elf. But, I am wiser then he. As long as you live, I'm sleeping with one eye open."
- "You have nothing to fear from me," Scalebender tried to explain, "I repsect the code of honor I live by."
- "Your honor - if you have such a thing - is tainted by the greed I can feel in your very soul. But, if I learned anything from the Third War, all things can change." Thrrag turned away, and laid his head down on a make-shift pillow.
- Scalebender hissed rudely, but then he too looked away, turning his attention back to the heat of the fire. The orc knew nothing, of that he was sure, but his words danced within Scalebender's mind all the same.
- Eventually the Lord Naga, too, succumbed to sleep.
Part 2- The next day was a slow one, something had stolen from their provisions during the night so a group consensus had been reached to have three people go out into the Barrens and return at noon with whatever they could find. Unfortunately for the two elves, a group consensus had also been made that Nilon and Celen were the ones to stay at camp to make sure nothing else got stolen.
- And so there they were, the two elves had their backs to one another. She didn’t speak, but occasionally Celen would look over at Nilon and scowl.
If she hates me so much then why doesn’t she just kill me right now? Nilon thought. Then he remembered dher words in Dustwallow Marsh.
Oh yeah.
- Still, it seemed strange to Nilon that she would let a little thing like that stand in the way of a racial hatred. Nilon shrugged, as long as they were stuck there, though, he might as well try to make a little bit of small talk to pass the time.
- “So,” he started, “When did you start training to be a mage?”
- “Why do you want to know?” she snapped. “Trying to find a way to turn my own memories against me?”
- Nilon was shocked. “I meant no harm, geez. We’re both stuck here; we might as well make the best of it.”
- Behind him Celen shifted her seating, suddenly uncomfortable for some reason. “I was thirteen,” she said, her voice caught on a slightly nervous tone, “Human years. My parents were so proud the day I left for Dalaran.” She grew quiet for a time before speaking again. “What about you? Were you always a Paladin?”
- “No,” Nilon said, “I was training to be a Priest – like the rest of my family. But, after the fall of Quel’thalas…” His words trailed off as he heard Celen began to cry.
- “Quel’thalas,” she said in-between sobs. “My parents were a part of the militia that tried to stop the Scourge from reaching the Sunwell. When the Undead came to Dalaran they were-.” She trailed off into a fit of sobs again.
- Nilon turned around and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He searched his mind for something to say. “I’m sorry,” was all he could manage.
- Celen looked up at him, and for a moment her crying slowed. But then she looked up into Nilon’s eyes – his glowing, fel-green eyes – and immediately returned to a fetal position. Nilon also turned back around.
- …
- When noon time came, Jason, Scalebender and Thrrag returned.
- “Well,” Nilon said, “What were you able to find.”
- “I got some Tallstrider meat,” Thrrag replied.
- “I managed to retrieve some of our supplies from the Quilboars,” Scalebender said.
- Jason looked down into the palm of his hand. “I got a rock.”
- The group laughed.
