People are so lazy these days. I really find it difficult to do any adventuring at all some days for all the favors people keep asking me for. I could probably refuse to do any of them but they usually at least offer a small tip for the trouble. The real problem is when you have about forty things to do but you can't ignore the gold.

The other day I was supposed to meet my best friend, Jinichirusa, a Pandaren hunter so that we could mine some khorium ore together in Nagrand. Of course, she was late so I decided to do some nice relaxing fishing in nearby lake while I waited.

As I settled in I could see a man on the far bank waving to me. My first instinct was to ignore him but he seemed rather persistent in his waving that it became difficult to concentrate on the fish. So, having nothing else to do I decided I could at least see what he was so adamant about telling me.

Packing in my fishing equipment I walked the short distance around the side of the lake to where the man was.

"I'm glad I spotted you." He said as soon as I came into earshot. I tipped my head forward in an informal bow.

"I need to deliver this little vial of pond water to my partner on the hill over there. I'll give you three gold if you will you take it to him for me." Here he pointed to a small hill in the distance. The faint outline of a dwarf was visible from where we were standing.

"You can't walk that far?" I had to ask. Three gold coins seemed a little expensive to deliver a vial of water to a hill that was in walking distance. I was sure there was going to be a catch.

The man didn't answer. He just stared at me expectantly.

"Ok I'll do it." I said reaching out and taking the glass vial. Who was I to ignore a job for an easy three gold…especially since lately I haven't been able to auction a bronze ring for more than fifty silver coins.

The man smiled and nodded his head. I nodded back, turned, and began to make my way toward the hill. It took less than ten minutes to make the trip and when I reached the top the dwarf immediately spotted me.

"Well, what can I do for ya?"

I approached and handed him the vial of water. He took a minute to examine the item before speaking.

"Thank ya, girly." He finally said.

I smiled and bowed my head politely. "You're welcome." I replied and turned to leave.

"But I wonder if you wouldn't mind helping me out before you go? I'll pay you four gold."

I sighed and turned back to the dwarf. "I'm not sure I-"

"Its just that there's this giant whelp." He interrupted. "It's been tryin' ta ge at me and my partner for ages. If you could take care of it for us we'd be grateful."

"A giant whelp?" I asked. all the while trying to figure out in the back of my mind how I went from waiting on my friend to this.

"It'll cost more than four gold" I said. "I want ten"

The dwarf nodded in agreement. "Alright lass" he said, "You drive a hard bargain but you're cute enough to get it. Ten it is. The whelp lives in a cave over yonder."

The dwarf stretched out a long bony index finger across the open plain. I followed it with my eyes to a large hill with a cave burrowed into one side. At least he wasn't sending me all the way to Northern Barrens.

"Ok" I said in a final agreement, never taking my eyes off the destination.

"Good." My temporary employer exclaimed from behind me. "Now off with ya."

As he spoke I heard a loud slap followed by a slight burning sensation in my rear end. I spun around, took hold of the pervert's long gray beard, and bent down so that his face was only inches away from mine. He looked back at me awe and astonishment.

"If you ever do that to me again," I warned him. "I'll shove your beard so far down your throat that you'll have to trim it from the other end. Got it?"

The little man nodded a wide-eyed expression and I released him making sure to add in a little extra tug on his face first for good measure. Then I turned and headed out toward the whelp's cave.

It didn't take long to reach as there were few hostile creatures between it and myself and the ones that were there didn't put up much of a fight. The cave its self wasn't much to look at. It was essentially a big hole on one side of a hill. Inside, the earth sloped downward at a steep angle into a large cavernous area.

I stood at the mouth of the opening gazing around in hopes the target of my quest, the giant whelp, would be in plain sight so that I could make a quick kill and be done with it. Of course, it wasn't. That would be too easy.

I drew out my dagger and my hand axe and slinked into cave. The ground sloped gently downward as I slowly made my way deeper into the cave. With each passing step the bright daylight from above faded giving way to the cold din below. Several feet down the path began to widen. A little further on it opened up into a larger circular area.

I squinted through the dim lighting, trying to take stock of what might await me in the dark. For a moment, nothing significant caught my eye. It was really what caught my ear that was important.

There was a slight rustling sound from one corner. I moved closer to the noise. With each step, I tried to extend what little sight I had until, at last I could partially make out the outline of a whelp. The only thing was that it wasn't a giant whelp. It was bigger than normal, there was no doubt about that. It was about the size of a full-grown pig, but it was nowhere near the size the perverted dwarf had led me to believe. To be honest it didn't even look that menacing. Even so I had already promised to kill it and I was getting ten gold to do it.

I crept backward concealing myself in the deep shadows. Slowly I moved forward, dagger at the ready. It would not even see me until it was too late.

When I was in range I lifted my weapon and…

BANG! I loud explosion echoed through the cavern. The whelp in front of me cried out in pain then slumped forward lifelessly onto the ground.

A moment later a night elf emerged from the shadows on the other side of the room. A long ornate rifle extended out from one hand. He came right up to the whelp and picked up the carcass with his free hand and slung it over one shoulder.

"I almost had it you know." I chided the hunter. I was so much in shock that my dagger was still poised for the attack.

The elf shrugged unceremoniously, turned, and ran back up the path. I considered throwing my dagger at his back but murder seemed a little excessive. Besides someday I may run into him again, and when I do…

Defeated but undaunted I made my way back to where this whole sordid adventure started. There waiting for me was my best friend Jinichirusa relaxing in the shade waiting for me.

"There you are!" She called when she finally saw me. "You're always late."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I waved off the gibe. "Let's go."

"Ok." The panda said, picking up her things. "On the way, I can tell you about this elf I just met. He was telling me about this giant whelp…"