1.
Vol'jin stirred in the night. His body was relaxed, far more so than it had been in years, but his mind raced as he gazed down upon the woman next to him - a human woman. Her long red hair shone brightly in the moonlight, the ashen black of the sheared sides bristled in the cold. The soft curves of her hips met the firm slope of her legs tangled in a light blanket close beside him. Sturdy shoulders gave way to ample breasts and a pair of strong, capable arms that now clung gently to Vol'jin's chest as she slept. Though fit and built as she was, Armadda Fellwind was small. Shorter than any human he had encountered before or since. Though it was hardly worth fixating on, all humans were small in comparison to trolls, It never failed to amaze Vol'jin just how easily he would forget her demure stature after long interludes away from her. Loud. Flirty. Boisterous, effervescent, crass. These first impressions of her, the day they met, were not unfounded, for each and every word was relevant in a thousand different ways. He wouldn't know, couldn't know, the importance of the friend he would make in Armadda at that time.
The doors to the Warroom opened, a warm breeze flew wildly into the chamber, circling the Horde leaders standing therein. Papers flew from the table, pawns dropped from their places upon an old and worn map. Vol'jin was immediately irked. Orcs were not the most respectful of privacy, but he had at least come to know them to honor the wishes of their Warchief, Thrall. It soon became clear that what stood in the doorway wasn't an orc. Not by several extraneous long shots. Armadda's sleek boots clicked across the stone floor of the room, confidently bringing her to stand mere feet from the council. Vol'jin rose from his kneeling position and stood to his full height before her, not a challenge, not a threat, but a warning. Come no closer. The other Horde leaders bristled similarly at the sight of the human in their midst. Lor'themar Theron and Cairne Bloodhoof made a silent show of placing their hands upon their weapons in camaraderie with Vol'jin's aggressive lead, however Thrall raised a mighty hand to his friend's shoulder, staying Vol'jin as he grew more agitated.
"There were guards posted outside the door.", he spoke. Armadda's lips first curled into a small, humble smile, but soon spread to show the shining white teeth of her ego.
"There sure were guards outside th' door!", she seemed to sing, her voice like a clarion bell ringing loudly in the hallow halls. Thrall moved his gaze beyond her, spying in the background a large orc body that had recently been re-purposed as a doorstop. He sighed heavily and made his way to stand between her and his subordinates. Vol'jin watched them, surprised. To him, this was a clear show of aggression. Though it was always wise to know an enemy before a fight begins, it was jarring to him that Thrall seemed to be taking the situation in his stride.
"How did you-?", he was cut off as Armadda raised a hand. The glint of a glowing red jewel set in a ring caught the eye of everyone in the room. "Th' 'how' is pretty impressive, but not quite as important as th' 'why', I assure you, mate.". Thrall nodded.
"Then, you are Thornlock."
"Aye! A Pseudonym, to be sure. Call me Armadda Fellwind. I am at your service.", the human placed her small hand across her breast and bowed lightly. Vol'jin's eyes narrowed as the other Horde leaders exchanged quick glances with one another. The troll wasn't just his Warchief's lead strategist, not just another faction leader of the Horde, he was Thrall's brother. His confidant. Thrall seemed to recognize this tiny human despite the fact that she had never been mentioned to him before. Worse still, the orc appeared to have been expecting her. A small, toxic sting of betrayal hit Vol'jin's heart, causing him a sick turning in his stomach.
"I must come clean.", Thrall cleared his throat. "I have been receiving messages by raven for some time now. Letters penned by an author called 'Thornlock' have been speaking of ill fortune for the Horde. As you might guess, I dismissed these claims off-hand at first, however, as time has gone by, and the state of the world grows ever darker, I find that more and more of the prophesied events have been occurring, and with increasing numbers. When I began to take a closer look at the letters I had been receiving I realized that there was someone far more informed than I was sending the Horde aid. I returned a raven and asked to meet Thornlock face to face." , Thrall turned to peer down at the small human who had silently crept up beside him, "I had never imagined you would be human.". Armadda placed a hand to one hip, it was armored in a golden clawed gauntlet, and she cocked her head to the side, sending her high-set ponytail trailing down her shoulder.
"No' a very good imagination on this one.", she smirked. A low growl came rumbling from across the table. Vol'jin had crouched back over, but his gaze had never left Armadda. He stared daggers at her as the gears in his head turned the situation over in his mind.
"Dis be very suspect.", he hissed, "I not be so easily swayed. 'Ow do we know ya not be da cause of da troubles da Horde been experiancin'? 'Ow do we know dis not be a trap? Der be no reason for 'umans ta 'elp da Horde.". Cairne and Lor'thermar nodded and the latter spoke.
"Recently, we have been seeing less human activity off the shores of Kalimdor. If it were I leading Wrynn's army, I would consider this lul in action as the perfect opportunity to surprise the enemy. And you are certainly a surprise."
"But no enemy.", Armadda assured. The redhead placed her hand upon the map, clawed finger indenting the stiff paper. "Here is your enemy.". The entire counsel leaned in closer, eyes scanning the cartography for clarification. Vol'jin squinted.
"Der be not'in dere. It be wasteland and steep cliff.", he explained
"What isn't wasteland here, Papa Troll?", the human smirked, earning her a rumbling growl. "There's a makeshift dock here. Th' Alliance been usein' it to stockade supplies. Iff'in y'all act soon, you can not only destroy th' base, but also snag some fine loot.". Vol'jin bared his teeth.
"Ya t'ink we stupid? Ya gunna run us right into a trap!", the troll snarled.
"Can it really be considered a trap if you're expectin' violence? I told ya, there's humans here. And there will be more the long'a we wait.". Armadda folded her arms across her chest, and Vol'jin saw an intense seriousness in her eyes as he hissed at her.
"There is an old mountain fort here.", Thrall interjected, pointing to an area just north of where Armadda had highlighted. "If there were humans docking on this shoreline, you would be able to see them from there.". He paused, thinking. "How many humans do you predict, Thornlock?"
"Armadda, please.", the little human reminded. "They're usin' scoutin' ships to dock inconspicuously. Can't hold more'n two dozen."
"If we run them out, will they return in greater force?", the orc questioned.
"No. They're only dockin' there because they think it's safe. If we show 'em it's not, they'll abandon their post there."
A hush fell over the warroom. Minds turned questions and plans over in their head. Vol'jin's anger resonated in his brain, making coherent thought almost impossible. His brow was boiling and his throat was tight. His face was crinkled in every way imaginable, he could not bare his tusks any harder if he tried. The Darkspear did not like what was coming. He knew Thrall. Once his mind was made up, he would assign orders and stick to them without question. This tiny wench already had their Warchief in her back pocket, and all it had taken was a few properly worded letters and the patience to wait him out. His thoughts were like the screeching of bats in his brain; Who dis human t'ink she be!?
"Vol'jin.", Thrall finally broke the silence.
"Brother.". It was almost a plea. In his heart the troll had actually said 'Don't make me do this.'
"Lead Armadda to the fort this night. Wait only until dawn. If the sun is risen and no humans have arrived, then you may rectify the situation in any way you see fit."