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| - Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 The puzzled look on the orc's face must have sparked her comment, but he made a dismissive motion. "My knowledge of your people is sadly limited. Most of what I've heard and experienced is..." he trailed off, grasping for words. "Well, I will say that it was unflattering. I have, myself, questioned the impulses that are making elf and orc allies, but in these times we need all the aid we can get." Kormok set his jaw and mused for a moment before continuing. "It is possible to arrange some form of passage back across the sea for you, but it will take time. Unfortunately, I could not guarantee you would arrive anywhere that is close to your origin." The orc frowned deeply. "It is a troubling dilemma you have been forced into. I can offer you little except shelter, guidance, and the promise of aid if you need it." Kormok squared his shoulders and nodded to himself. "Honor demands it." "You know...my father refused to speak about your people...kept saying that he never wanted to give me the wrong idea. This is...well, this is the first time I've ever met an orc," Vanesse spoke bluntly, with the innocent honesty of a child that was slightly more curious than is normally healthy. "But I can understand why you feel that way...most of my people are obsessed with their addiction and finding an answer to it. Even I feel the effects of it. After the Sunwell was destroyed...all of us felt empty, starved. All of us looking for something else...and now we're told that there is a Promised Land that has everything we could ever want..." Vanesse giggled a little, as if it were a ridiculous idea. "I'm a little too old to believe in fairy tales though! But most of my people are obsessed with the idea...my father said that we could overcome the addiction, but no one believed him. He said that you all changed since the war, and that we could as well...is that true? Were you so different before?" Kormok chuckled, a throaty rumble that didn't carry far in the small cave. "There are some who would have you believe my people are monsters. All of the Horde, really. I will be the first to admit we still have many that cling to the old ways - those who, like the Alliance, refuse to see beyond their own glory and arrogance." He turned the rabbit on the spit before continuing. "The Horde has much to make up for. These days, honor and survival are the two main principles that it holds sacred. Leaving the shores of the Eastern Kingdoms was not enough to keep us separate from the humans and their warmongering, and thus these fragile new ideals are put to the ultimate test." The orc looked angry for a moment, but shook his head to clear it. "It is hard for many to adapt. Blackhand's Horde, Gul'dan's Horde - those who were alive in those times find it demeaning to show some restraint. However, we are being forced to change. Orcs cannot afford to be a mindless surge of bodies. I think we have our allies to thank for the change, in many regards. "I myself hold honor above all other things. Honor to one's clan, one's friends, and one's ideals. To do otherwise is to cheapen one's existence, to make your life meaningless and without purpose. Coin and power are fleeting things in the eyes of the spirits. True legends are made through great deeds performed with a righteous intent." Vanesse sat up, taking a little more interest now in what Kormok was saying. "That sounds better than what my people believe in. We're still recovering though...the Alliance still chases us, but I think we've evaded them for now...but now we have the Scourge to worry about, they're right next door to Quel'thalas. I wish they would find something to believe in, instead they just keep hoping that things will get better when Kael'thas comes for us. "I think a lot of people just don't want to believe that the old times are gone. My people, your people, even people on the Alliance. I think its all very silly. I mean...my people suffer...I do too. Its like always being sick, you always feel bad, like something is wrong with you. But I can learn to deal with it, I don't need a Promised Land." Vanesse sat closer to the fire, her hunger evident as her stomach growled again. She was patient though. "Could you tell me more about your people? I've always wanted to know more about the Horde, and Orgrimmar..." He smiled broadly, his serious face relaxing and taking on a more casual demeanor. "I will do so gladly. I have heard many legends of my people, from our past before the time of the Shadow Council and the Burning Legion. In those times, the orcs were a proud, spiritual people, venerating our ancestors and living in accordance with the will of the spirits. There was much to be proud of, and the land was bountiful. Draenor was a paradise, I am told." The smile turned to sadness. "Our home is lost to us, by the manipulations of demons and our own foolishness. Now, we struggle to regain what is ours, but our enemies are legion - humans, dwarves, demons, the Scourge. Our great city is but one bastion of survival, but it is something we defend with the greatest of zeal." The orc spoke proudly, scarlet eyes aflame with emotion. "Orgrimmar... those walls, those canyons and gullies, may not seem like much to your people, but it is something we made with our own hands. No one can deny the awe they feel when they approach the fires of Grommash Hold, with the spoils of the demon, Mannoroth, hanging from the twisted tree. Few cannot feel the eyes of their ancestors as they stride through the Valley of Spirits." He focused on Vanesse once more. "No orc, troll, or tauren can resist the swell of pride in their breast when the drums sound and the voices of the Horde heroes sing their victories into the wind." An innocent, wondrous smile crept over Vanesse's face as she listened to Kormok's stories. She was fascinated as her imagination fabricated images to go along with every single word. "I want to see it, I still want to see it, now more than ever. I've dreamed of visiting Orgrimmar, I've heard that its the last stronghold of the Horde, that its wonderous and magnificent..." Vanesse closed her eyes, as she mused to herself. "Quel'thalas is beautiful, but its empty at the same time. I always felt like..like there was something more to find. Orgrimmar sounds different...it sounds like its full of hope, and dreams. That there are monuments to every hero that has ever lived...that it has a memory, I suppose. Quel'thalas doesn't have that anymore, there's...there's no memory or history to experience there." "That's why I want to see Orgrimmar. I feel like I can find my answer there, that the way to escape this...addiction...is there. Its not an object, or anything like that, its a feeling, or an idea. I don't know how to explain it, but I think my father believed in it too. I don't suppose I'm making any sense to you though..." "You may be surprised, Vanesse," he said, using her name more comfortably this time. "The road to Orgrimmar is long, but I know the way. If it is something you truly wish to see, then I can take you there. I don't think you could get into much trouble there." The orc sniffed and turned the rabbit once more. "Of course, my trusting nature could be getting the better of me again," he said with a smirk. Vanesse's eyes widen. "I...I would be forever in your debt if you took me there. I'd be the only one of my kind in the city though, but...that's ok. Just to see it, I'd be happy." The young blood elf laid back against the cave wall, her stomach growling impatiently, even if Vanesse was showing restraint to the best of her ability. "If you don't mind me asking, why were you out in the forest anyway? I'm not complaining or anything...I'm very fortunate that you found me. I'm just curious." "Several reasons," he replied with an offhanded tone. "Perhaps the spirits had this meeting planned, I truly cannot say. Wraith's own kind are here - from time to time I will take him back to run with the creatures he knows, so to speak. As for myself, I come here to hunt and spend time away from the cities. Orgrimmar is glorious, but my senses are extremely sharp." Kormok tapped his nose and ear once each and continued, "The sounds and smells can sometimes overwhelm me if I am there for too long." He appeared to notice the growling of her stomach and turned the rabbit again. "It will be some minutes before it is ready," the orc said, turning to rummage in his supplies again. "These should tide you over for a bit. I apologize in advance for their lack of real flavor." When he faced Vanesse again, he held a small wrapped bundle of jerky and hard cheese. "My trail rations," he explained, offering them over the flames to the elf. Vanesse reached out and took the offered rations, breaking off a bit of the cheese. She ate it quickly, and took a bite of the jerky, just enough to calm her stomach until the rabbit would be ready. She returned the rations afterwards. "Thank you...I'll be ok until the rabbit is finished. I've never felt this hungry before...I suppose living in peace makes one a little weak, doesn't it?" She turned her attention to Wraith now. Vanesse gazed at the noble wolf, still too afraid to approach him, but utterly fascinated to see him so close by. "Is he friendly...or would he bite my hand if I tried to touch him? I may not know much, but I know that it would be dangerous to approach a wolf in the wild..." She seemed to shrink back slightly as she considered what might happen to her if she encountered a wild wolf in this forest. The hunter eyed Wraith with amusement, the wolf's golden eyes still fixed on Vanesse. "He only becomes defensive when I am in danger." Kormok grunted to get Wraith's attention, staring him down for a long moment. "You can approach him," the orc assured. "He will not harm you." Returning his attention to the rabbit, Kormok smiled. "Wraith and I have been traveling together for many moons. He is loyal, if a bit difficult to break of certain habits." The blood elf reached her hand forward tentatively toward Wraith, ready to pull it back at the first sign of danger. Despite Kormok's reassurances, Vanesse was still fearful that the wolf would at any moment bite at her hand. These fears subsided the moment her fingers touched the wolf's mane, her fingers placed lightly on Wraith's neck, and she stroked the fur slowly. She glanced at Kormok with a smile, obviously still a little nervous, but genuinely happy to be given this opportunity. "He's beautiful, magnificent. I've never seen a wolf up close before, and certainly never touched one." She giggled. "What sort of habits could such a creature have that would trouble you? He seems perfectly well behaved." Grunting, Kormok recalled memories he would have rather left forgotten. "It is true in many respects that you cannot tame something born wild. He digs around in trash heaps, gets his snout stuck in beer tankards, and generally makes a nuisance of himself whenever we get near a settlement." He threw some more sticks onto the fire to feed the heat, watching the skin of the rabbit begin to blister and crisp. It split as the flames licked at the flesh, and the smell of roasting hare strengthened. Wraith's attention was not on the food however; he was watching Vanesse as she stroked his fur, ears canted forward. Vanesse laughed lightly as she imagined the noble wolf before her doing the things Kormok spoke of. "I can see it now! Things like that would be almost endearing I think, it'd be a shame if he didn't have any kind of personality, wouldn't it?" She strokes the wolf's mane affectionately, becoming more comfortable quickly. She gazed back into Wraith's eyes, smiling genuinely as her fingers preened and stroked the thick fur. "You must be very happy to have him. Most people would never be able to have such a companion, I know I'll probably never be lucky enough to have one." "He is a good companion, yes. I do not regret the decision to take him under my wing." Kormok smiled over at them both, twisting the stake again. "As for having one yourself, there are many paths one can take in this world..." The orc trailed off, appraising the elf anew. She was small, as far as his standards went. Seeming neither physically powerful nor particularly aggressive, he was at a loss to forsee what path would indeed be best for her. "I am honestly unsure of where your specific talents lie. If you do indeed come with me to Orgrimmar, you may well be there for some time. You will need to find a way to support yourself." "I'm not sure either...I'll have to make a living somehow though, no matter what I do. I'll figure out something though, there has to be something I can do. I can't really farm, not without my father..." Vanesse tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I guess I'll have to learn a trade. Just something to keep me clothed and fed, while I figure out what I want to do," she said to herself. Her eyes brightened a little. "Well, my people have always had associations with magic, even today, we've always been good at it. Maybe I could do something with that? My father was a wizard, so he obviously had talent for it. He never taught me anything though, I don't think he wanted me to learn to be like him...still, I get to do what I want now, don't I?" "There is talent, and there is ambition," Kormok warned. "Honoring the wishes of one's ancestors is noble, but one cannot truly make a difference in this world without pursuing the path that is true to their heart." Armor creaked as the orc rolled his shoulder. "Whatever you seek to do, you should do it for your own reasons and not because someone expected it of you. "Orgrimmar is home of many masters," he continued in an even voice. "The blademasters, the magi, and the shamans all have their place. Even the warlocks, much as I am naturally distrustful of their ways, have powerful representatives in the Cleft of Shadow." The rabbit was turned once more, the flesh finally having cooked enough to be somewhat edible. "You are small. Many will misjudge you, and you will likely have to work harder than any other student no matter what path you choose." Kormok sat back on the cave floor and allowed the rabbit to hang without tending. "Getting you into the city is another matter entirely. My influence only goes so far, and it will be dangerous for you. Even still, it is a long journey, and I have that time to test your commitment to this." "I'll figure out what I'm good at, and what I like doing, and then I'll decide. No one else can decide for me, anyway, I can do whatever I want to do," she said rather cheerfully. This was a very different girl than the one that was crying and fearful in the forest, in the few hours since finding company, she had changed radically. "My people were going to be welcomed into the city...why wouldn't I be welcome alone then? Or...is there something about me that would cause trouble there? I want to see Orgrimmar so much, and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be allowed there." She seemed rather stubborn about this point, and more than a little naive, but she believed every word she said. "I'll take any test you give me, and I'll pass it! Just you wait and see." Somewhat relieved that she had apparently moved past her grief, at least for now, Kormok gave a firm nod. He was never quite sure how to deal with the sadness of others. "Many will not know the difference between you and other elves. The rumors of your race's alliance with the Horde is still just that - a rumor. You may find your progress hindered. "There is ignorance on all sides, sadly." Vanesse's enthusiasm died down as she considered Kormok's words. "I...didn't really consider that. I suppose you're right, I mean...we used to be a part of the Alliance, so it makes sense that we would not be trusted." Her fingers slowly stroked through Wraith's fur, almost casually now. The young blood elf seemed much more at ease now with the wolf's presence. "But I will find a way to be accepted there. It would have been easier if the trade caravan had made it, but..." Vanesse sighed deeply, pausing in her speech, before continuing. "I'll find a way. You've been kind to me, maybe others will as well...then again, I don't know what Orgrimmar is like, maybe they'll chase me out, or worse." "Don't let it discourage you, but at the same time keep it in mind. I am sure by the end of our journey, you will have proven yourself enough that I will feel comfortable using my influence to protect you." Kormok tugged off his mail gauntlets and laid them aside, revealing heavily calloused hands. He reached down to his belt, at the small of his back, and drew a long-bladed knife. "Now come, it should be cooked enough," he said, smiling. The knife bit into the rabbit flesh and sent a stream of juices and flavor trickling from the cut. Vanesse scooted closer to the fire, licking her lips hungrily as she watched the knife cut into the cooked hare. Although the cheese and jerky earlier had helped give her a little more energy, she was still ravenously hungry. "I thought you said you weren't much of a cook," she spoke mostly in jest. The rabbit certainly looked appealing to her. Still, she was patient, letting Kormok carve the hare without trying to show too much eagerness; this would, after all, be his meal as well, and he had done all the work for it. "How long is the journey from here? And how will we avoid the Alliance nearby? I know I can't move as fast as you can, or as quietly." Her thoughts were already racing ahead, realizing that the journey to Orgrimmar may not be easy or simple at all. She was entirely dependent on this orc right now for everything. It was he that could guide her to her destination, he that knew every path, and he that could barter for her entrance into the city. Yet she was not afraid of falling out of his good graces, somehow. She trusted him. Several wedges of the meat were sliced away from the bones of the hare, and Kormok stuck the knife deep into the carcass, pointed towards Vanesse for her to use at her leisure. He then sat back and waited for her to take as much as she needed. "These may be the elves' woods for the most part, but I know paths that even their trackers do not. I am confident that we can avoid any Alliance entanglements, so our real danger comes from the beasts that lurk in the shadows beneath the boughs of these ancient trees." Kormok seemed calm and unafraid as he described the journey. "Our first destination will be the Horde outpost of Splintertree. From there, I can retrieve my dire wolf, and then we ride to Orgrimmar. He will be strong enough to carry us both with great speed. "You will see many sights... the wide plains of the Barrens, the mighty Southfury River, the dry red earth of Durotar, and the creatures that make their homes here and between." The orc smiled again. Vanesse pulled a few slices of the rabbit meat, and immediately began eating. She was almost ravenous, biting off pieces of meat from each slice, as she listened attentively as Kormok described their journey. She paused as she watched Kormok smile, finishing her current mouthful. "I've never seen anything like that. I've been all over the Eastern Kingdom, but I've heard so many wonderful things about Kalimdor. Even this forest is unlike anything I've ever seen before, its beautiful. I can only imagine what Durotar is like." She took another bite of the piece of rabbit meat in her hands. After another moment she swallowed, and continued. "We will be safe once we get out of the forest then? Hopefully its not far, and Wraith looks like he could scare off almost anything that tried to attack us." She turned and smiled at Wraith, winking to him subtlely as she attempted to secretly slide the wolf a piece of the rabbit meat. He grinned as the wolf immediately padded forward to accept the morsel. "You've just made a friend for life," Kormok said. "As for my people's land, it is harsh and unforgiving, but in that danger there is a beauty unlike any you will see across the ocean." His hands came to the fastening on his cloak, and with a few quick movements he had removed it and folded it roughly. The orc then brought his knees to his chest and pushed himself back against the cave wall, leaning against the cool stone. She smiled as Wraith eagerly accepted the morsels, tending to her own hunger as she continued to eat, eating a sizable portion of the hare, but leaving plenty left to be eaten. As she bites at her final piece of the rabbit, she glances to Kormok. "You're going to eat too, right? I've had plenty I think, I'll be ok now," she smiled, motioning to the cooked rabbit. "And if I've made a friend for life, I've made a good one," she said as she scooted closer to Wraith, affectionatelly stroking his mane. "Its so odd to look at him, he's as proud and strong as I've always heard, but he's gentle too." Wraith sniffed at Vanesse's hand and licked it once before padding a step or two closer and laying down next to her, muzzle resting on crossed paws. The orc rolled his eyes and grinned, resting his head back against the cave wall. "Leave it for now. You may get hungry later, and the fire will keep it warm for a while. In these times, I eat but once a day, and I have already done so. It keeps me ready to move if I need to without the fatigue of digesting my meal slowing me down." Kormok narrowed his eyes very slightly. "So your people's homeland stands, despite all that has happened?" Vanesse glanced towards Kormok, pondering his question. She nodded slowly, and began. "It stands, yes. Our people were driven out when Kel'Thuzad first arrived for the Sunwell, but once they used our well for their own purposes, they left." She sighed, and closed her eyes. "My people required the Sunwell to provide them with constant magical energy. We became addicted, because we used it for so many centuries. After it was gone, we all felt empty...so we found a replacement. Many of my people now turn to fel magic, warlock magic, to sate their hunger. So we rebuilt around the corrupted Sunwell...Quel'thalas is beautiful again, but only on the outside I think. Its not the same as it was before..." Her hand absent-mindedly petted Wraith, as she let out a deep breath. "I don't agree with it, neither did my father. But I can understand it...we all feel the addiction, and we needed an answer to it, badly. I just think we're looking in the wrong places." "The bloodlust that once poisoned my people may have much been the same. Perhaps in time our two races will find common ground in that." The orc didn't exactly sound convinced, but he waved the subject away with a vague motion of his hand. "The day has been hard on you. Rest now, Vanesse. I will keep watch." She seemed curious at Kormok's last comment, but decided to not press the matter. She was indeed tired, and by all accounts the journey to come would be long and difficult. Rest was indeed in order. "Thank you Kormok...for everything," she whispered, as she gathered up the nearby blanket, finding a spot near Wraith, and getting as comfortable as she can. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep. Vanesse's Story continues on the next page.
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