Florinn took a deep breath as he aimed his crossbow at the glass bottle on the tree stump. After exhaling, he released the trigger and watched as the bolt flew from his crossbow and knocked the bottle off the stump.
As he walked toward the fallen beer bottles, a bear leapt from the nearby bushes and pounced on the pile of bottles littering the snow. The draenei stared at the animal for a moment and reached out to pet it when he heard a grizzled voice shout from over his shoulder "That's enough Bru."
The bear gave Florinn a smirk, then trotted back to his dwarven master three feet away. Florinn waved at the dwarf before retrieving his bottles and placing them in his bag.
Carrying his bag of bottles and crossbow over his shoulder, Florinn made his journey back to the Sweet Suds Brewhall. He smiled at the sound of his hooves crunching in the snow and the brisk air brushing against his blue skin and short spiky black hair. The draenei had spent the several days in Dun Morogh, staying at the brewhall.
Dun Morogh was a refreshing change for the draenei. Although his home was in Azuremyst Isle, Florinn enjoyed the snowy hills, the animals and landscape. He also found himself enjoying the company of the dwarven people, and the way their beer was an interesting contrast to the elven wine and alcohol he drank back home. His parents back home had given him their blessing to leave the Exodar and explore Azeroth.
Florinn entered the brewhall and found the seat at his usual table under the several pictures of boxers that decorated the walls.
Vera the bartender came over and handed him his usual pint of stout before returning to the counter. He sipped his brew as he heard a group of adventurers from the back of the brewhall, discussing their encounter with a group of wendigo.
During target practice two days ago, Florinn had helped this group days earlier fend off a group of troggs that attacked them. Although the group expressed their gratitude to him, Florinn never worked up the courage to sit with them later that evening, mainly because they never asked him. He always been shy, ever since he was a child. Although he rarely talked to anyone, the idea of walking into a situation uninvited and being rejected kept him at a distance.
The draenei's nose picked a hint of hops, signaling the arrival of one of the few friends Florinn made during his time in Dun Morogh, the brewmaster Malgin Barleybrew.
Two days into Florinn's stay at the brewhall, Malgin introduced himself to Florinn and shared a conversation and beer with the draenei. They bonded over their mutual love of alcohol and boxing. Florinn revealed to the dwarf he had taken boxing lessons when he was a child, before he and his family left for Azeroth. Malgin had been a boxer before becoming a brewmaster.
The dwarf took a chair next to Florinn and wiped his brow. "Another day of brewing makes the throat thirsty," Malgin rattled off, putting a pint in front of Florinn. The draenei swigged the brew and twitched as the malty flavor hit his lips.
"We're brewing Rhapsody Pale Ale," Malgin said, noticing the absent look on Florinn's face, then noticed the table of adventurers. "You need to make more friends lad."
Florinn shrugged and sipped his ale once more. Malgin sighed and drank his beer before asking "Have you even found a pet?"
The draenei shook his head. "I met a bear after I finished target practice, but it already had a master."
Malgin shook his head again. "These things take time. I'm sure you'll find a companion." The draenei nodded before finishing his stout. The dwarf was about to order another ale as Vera returned to the table," Before you drink too much, we need some more firewood."
"Good thing I already chopped the firewood this morning," Malgin said he stood up.
Florinn placed a hand on his shoulder. "I can go retrieve firewood." Malgin sighed once out of relief. As the draenei left his seat, the dwarf said," I'll make sure your beer doesn't get too warm."
Florinn waved before stepping outside. He walking along a faint trail before coming across a pile of firewood. As he began picking up the firewood, he heard growling and a yelp from several feet away. The draenei unhooked his crossbow and began running toward the noises. He stopped found a gray-haired wolf fighting two wendigo.
The wolf darted around its two attackers before jumping at one of the them. With a fire in his eyes, the wolf sank its teeth into the wendigo's shoulder. Florinn watched the wolf rip through the wendigo's flesh before being swatted away by the creature's companion. In a swift motion, Florinn loaded his crossbow and fired it at the wendigo's back, hitting between its shoulder blades.
As the wendigo turned to face its attacker, Florinn loaded and fired another bolt, this time hitting the wendigo's chest. The creature charged at the draenei, who jammed his crossbow in its jaw, then threw a right hook across the creature's jaw. Before the creature could move, Florinn withdrew his skinning knife and stabbed the creature's throat, forcing it to a kneww.
The wendigo struggled to get stand as the wolf leaped onto its chest and sank his blood-stained teeth into its throat. Florinn glanced as the other lifeless creature, then glanced back when he heard shuffling coming from over his shoulder, noticing two more wolves, a cub and its mother. The two stared back at the draenei before walking away. Florinn turned his attention back to the bloody wolf, which collapsed in the snow and was breathing heavily.
The draenei scooped up the wolf in his arms and quickly made his way back to the brewhall without incident. Florinn forced open the door with his shoulder and ignored Malgin's greeting and subsequent comment about the lack of firewood as he set the wolf on his table. He patched the creature's wounds as Malgin called for a blanket.
"Where did you find him?" Malgin asked.
"I heard him while I was gathering firewood. He was fighting off a couple of wendigos and defending a couple of wolves," Florinn said, remembering how the wolf bravely fought his two bigger attackers.
The wolf opened its eyes and stared at Florinn. The animal let out a faint growl while the draenei reached out to it. He snapped at the draenei, but didn't bite him. Florinn was tempted to withdraw his hand, but instead scratched its ears.
The wolf, sensing no threat from the draenei, let out a whine and breathed calmly. Malgin placed a plate of ribs and a small bowl in front of Florinn. "No worry lad, I can go get the firewood tomorrow morning," he said before leaving. "Good luck."
Florinn smiled as he poured some of his Rhapsody Pale Ale in the bowl and placed it in front of the wolf. The animal licked it and shook his head. "I'm not much of a fan either," the draenei said as he poured the beer back into his glass and placed a rib in the bowl.
The wolf sniffed the bowl and eagerly ate the meat. Florinn smiled and took a swig of beer and scratched the wolf's fur.
Florinn stayed by the wolf's side for the remainder of the evening, telling the animal about the Exodar, his parents and his adventures. The draenei noticed the wolf nodding at the his words.
Florinn eventually dozed off at this seat. After waking up the next morning and stretching his arms, Florinn noticed the wolf was gone. There no were bloodstains or evidence to suggest he was still hurt.
The draenei sighed as he stared at the half-empty cup and empty bowl. As he stood up, he heard a bark from outside, jolting him away from his thoughts. When Florinn stared out the window, the wolf darted at him and barked enthusiastically, before motioning to the door, as if asking the draenei to come out and play.
Florinn grabbed his crossbow and stepped outside where the wolf greeted him. The two quickly went down the hill near the brewhall and caught a couple of rabbits. Florinn was intrigued with how the wolf would use speed to trap his targets. The two killed and skinned the two rabbits before they came across a large buck.
Florinn watched as the buck swiped its antlers at the wolf, who avoided the attack, but caught a kick across the cheek. The wolf avoided a second kick, then lunged at the buck, knocking it down. Florinn saw another buck charge at the wolf, causing him to fire his crossbow and hit the animal's throat. The wolf finished his foe before running back to Florinn.
After skinning the hides and wrapping up the meat, the two made their way back to the brewhall when Vera stepped outside. Noticing the concern on her face, Florinn asked what was wrong.
"Malgin hasn't returned," she said. "He's not usually gone for this long." Florinn remembered the brewmaster went to search for firewood this morning.
Florinn glanced down at the wolf, then back to Vera. "We could search for him."
Before Vera could respond, the two began their short trek to the woods where they came across a pile of firewood. Florinn examined what he knew were Malgin's footprints in the show along with two sets of larger footprints. He heard the wolf's growl, then watched him dart to the west - in the direction to the spot where they met.
Florinn followed the animal past the spot and found a cave. The two stepped forward when two wendigo emerged from the opening and attacked. The wolf moved forward and snapped his jaws at the wendigo on the left. Florinn fired two crossbow bolts into the beast's shoulder while the wolf sunk its jaws into the creature's knee. The wendigo on the left swiped its claws across the wolf's back, causing it to yelp and turn. The wounded wendigo lunged at the wolf, only to be met with a crossbolt bolt to the eye.
Florinn concentrated his fire at the other wendigo as the wolf darted juked around it, forcing it to stumble. The draenei took the chance and fired another bolt in the face. The wendigo let out a roar and turned as it felt the wolf's jaws clamp into its foot. Florinn fired one more bolt to send the wendigo the ground.
The duo entered the cave where they found Malgin tied to a spit in the corner. The dwarf let out a grunt when he noticed Florinn and the wolf. The draenei cringed as he saw the bruises and cuts on the dwarf's face.
Florinn moved to the dwarf and began untying him when another wendigo, larger than the first two, appeared and charged at them. The wolf leaped off the ground and slashed its claws at the beast's stomach, but a large bear appeared and pinned the wolf to the ground.
Florinn used his skinning knife to cut the dwarf loose as the bear raked its claws across the wolf's face. The canine was back up and darted left, barely avoiding the bear's claws. He lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the bear's exposed neck. The animal tried to shake off the wolf, only for the canine to clamp harder and drag him to the ground.
Next to the wolf, the draenei loaded his crossbow and fired a bolt, barely missing the wendigo.. He loaded his weapon again while the wendigo snapped at him. Florinn dropped his weapon and delivered a left hook-right jab combination to the wendigo's jaw. Before the beast could react, Florinn landed another stiff right, causing the wendigo to stumble.
The wendigo dropped to a knee before Florinn took his skinning knife and jammed it into the beast's throat, mimicking his attack strategy from the day before. The wendigo lunged forward, only to trip and plant in the ground.
Florinn went to help the dwarf and could hear the wendigo moving behind him. He turned to face the beast, only to see the wolf with his jaws in the beast's throat then heard a crunch.
The wolf let go of the wendigo's throat, letting the corpse drop beside the bear's body.
The wolf walked outside and began eating the snow.
Malgin raised an eyebrow as he and Florinn walked outside. "What is it doing now?"
The draenei said," He's cleaning his jaws."
The dwarf was about to say something else when the wolf came by and began licking his face.
Florinn laughed as they made their way back to the brewhall, Malgin's cursing echoed through the woods. After they entered the hall, Malgin stormed off to wash his face while Florinn and the wolf sat at their table.
Vera smiled and brought them a plate of ribs and two stout pints. Malgin returned, wiping his face with a towel and said "I've been thinking lad, have you given him a name?"
Florinn shook his head and Malgin pointed up at a portrait of one of the boxers on the wall. "I've been thinking lad, your wolf reminds me of a boxer, the way he moves back and forth."
Florinn nodded and scratched the wolf behind his ears. "My trainer was named Al'i."
Malgin nodded. "Al'i sounds like a good name."
The wolf gave an enthusiastic bark, signaling his approval.
Malgin left his heroes to get some beer. Florinn and Al'i watched as a group of adventurers came through the door. The draenei glanced away and sipped his beer. Before he could turn his back, Al'i grabbed his ribs and ran over to the table. Florinn followed the wolf and came to the table where a gnome wearing purple robes turned to him and said "I remember you, you helped us a few days ago. We are on our way to Ironforge and stopped in for a drink. You're more than welcome to join us."
Florinn turned to Al'i, who let out a sheepish grin. He could tell this was going to be a beautiful friendship.