Author's note: Enjoy a little drivel of mine. All copyrights to Blizzard/Activision. Characters are purely fictional, or based off of names of old characters. Same for guild names.
Garrison life was supposed to be exciting. That's what the young Blood Elf had been led to believe from all the stories she'd been hearing recently. With the new campaign's going on in Draenor, Horde forces were being deployed to newly erected garrison's to aid in holding these new foot holds. Today was the big day for Anita Windstrider. She'd finally received her deployment notice. She was going to be joining a newly completed garrison under a veteran commander from the Silver Dragons Guild. They weren't a top tier guild, but they were rather well known for their deeds in some of the other campaigns that had gone on. It was odd to her that the line to the garrison she was joining was rather short, about nine or ten people total. Looking around the staging area, she saw lines with thirty or more different people waiting for their deployment portals to be opened. Finally after an hour or so of waiting, a crackling sound could be heard towards the head of the line. Peaking around a Troll that was standing in front of her, she saw the air crackling with arcane magic. Space was being torn apart to form a portal straight to Draenor. Through the small looking portal, she could see what looked like snow and freshly cut timber with fires scattered around. At last the line was moving as the troops in front of her started to pass through the portal. What lay ahead of her, she could only imagine was adventure.
It had been three long months since Anita joined the garrison forces. During that time, she'd been doing small tasks and missions her commander issued. They always seemed dull and boring. "Go here and gather this"…"Help these villagers relocate"…"There's a new load of supplies that need to be moved to storage." It was nowhere near the glorious experience she had dreamed of. The commander just told her that she wasn't ready for anything else yet. She would always argue with the mild natured Tauren who was the commander of the garrison. Trying to tell him that she was ready, and he would just smile and nod at her. It frustrated her to no end that he was treating her like a small child. She wasn't some child playing soldier… at least she thought she wasn't. She was a well trained and prepared soldier of the Horde. A paladin of the light, trained by one of Tirion Fordring's old students. In her mind, she was as ready as any other member of the Horde.
"Commander, are you sure you aren't babying her a little too much?" the mission advisor was asking for about the third week in a row. *Sigh* "Yes Durn, I'm sure…" answered Synar from the stool he was perched on, reviewing the mission list and selecting the most likely to succeed for each objective. Marking some missions for distribution to another garrison if he felt that it was too much danger for his own troops. "I'd rather not risk anyone on a task I know they aren't ready for. Especially one like that." "But it's just the old mine shaft, Commander." "Durn… I've told you before you can drop the formalities, and I know it's just the old mine shaft, but those Goren aren't a joke. We've had nothing but constant trouble outside the entrance as it is." "Sorry Commander, I mean Sir… Synar…"
Outside the small hall that acted as the garrison headquarters, Anita had been listening and was trying to figure out if she could somehow get a tougher mission today. Hoping that eavesdropping might let her get a head start and prove what she was able to do. Once she had figured out they were talking about the mine, she assumed they were going to try and reopen it. It made sense, since as of the last few months, they had to import the ore they needed for weapons and armor due to the Goren infestation that was plaguing the abandoned mine. She crept off to the barracks to go get her gear and see if she could prove to her commander that she knew what she was doing once and for all.
"Okay Sylvie, report back here once you're done with scouting out that invasion force. Do not attempt to fight them unless they leave you no choice." "Aye 'mmander, I be back 'fore ya know eet" said the Troll. "Alright, Anita you're up next." Synar announced, looking around the hall for the little Blood Elf paladin. He started to become worried after a minute or two when he couldn't find her. "Has anyone seen Anita?" he asked aloud for everyone in the room. "I saw her heading towards the mine this morning, Commander." replied one of the garrison guards. "Shit…" mumbled the commander, looking around the room. Reaching over to the rack standing by the closest wall, he grabbed his two axes and bolted out the hall's front door, running past guards and his followers that were heading out on their own missions already. "Oh boy..." Durn said from where he was sitting behind the command table in the hall. "You two grab some gear and bandages and meet me outside the mine ASAP!" he declared, grabbing his own gear, a shield and mace, before running in pursuit of his commander.
"Damned stupid elf…" he mumbled running past one of the outer guard huts before approaching the mine entrance. Sure enough some of the boards had been peeled aside. Not enough for a Tauren to fit through, but definitely enough to fit an Elf. Grumbling to himself, he tried to peel the boards open more to fit himself through, only rewarding himself with some splinters. "Damn it…" he swore as he tried using his axes to pry the boards loose. They were stubborn and unyielding to his efforts, made to keep the Goren in the mine until they could be routed out later. After another minute of prying, Durn showed up with two of the garrison guards in tow. "Wanna help me get this open Durn?" The two of them began prying and trying to use their weapons as leverage to peel back the boards, but with little effect. Finally one board snapped and offered just enough room for them to squeeze past. Once they'd managed to get inside, it was dark and one could barely make out anything except for the dim glow of a few lanterns that had been freshly lit. Walking down the tunnel, there were a few Goren corpses littering the sides. "See, I told you that you were babying her too much" Durn stated. "We'll see…" was the only reply he got.
"Okay, maybe he was right." Anita admitted as she stared at the Goren Den Mother standing in front of her. It was sniffing and nudging the body of one of the Goren she'd just slain. She was just about to try sneaking away when the Den Mother started sniffing in her direction. Looking just about straight at her, the mother threw a large rock directly at her hiding place. Anita broke into a run, trying to get away from the now very furious den mother. Unfortunately she made a wrong turn and ended up in a dead end off of the main tunnel. With her back to the wall, she raised her sword and shield, swallowed hard and prepared to fight. The large Goren swiped and clawed at her relentlessly, leaving large gouges in her shield and armor where it made contact. After a few swings, her sword was beginning to dull on the Goren's rocky hide, and she knew that she'd bit off more than she could chew. Realizing she probably wasn't going to make it out alive, she did the only sensible thing, yelled as loud as she could "SOMEONE HELP ME!".
"Did you hear that?" Durn asked one of the guards. The guard nodded, and was getting his axe ready, when a flash of blue light caught his eye ahead of the group. The commander had just shape shifted to a nearly transparent wolf, and was running off ahead as fast as he could. "Damn it all…" Durn mumbled before doing the same. Stopping long enough to growl at the guards "Move it, quickly!"
'Stupid Elf' Synar grumbled as he sped down the tunnel, running in the direction of the shouts. At the final fork, he saw the flashes of holy light from spells being cast, and darted around the corner to find Anita trapped by the den mother herself. Watching the clearly outmatched elf trying to defend herself was the last thing he had wanted to see. Her armor was scratched and broken from impacts and claw marks. Her shield was on the ground a pummeled mess. The sword didn't look to be too long for this world either. The den mother was looking to impale the small elf with a piece of stalagmite or stalactite, he wasn't sure which, but he wasn't about to let one of his get skewered. Running past the Goren, he slammed the blood elf out of the way in time to get her clear, but not soon enough to dodge the pointed rock himself. His world lit up in pain as he first heard the sound of the rock grating against his chain mail, then the slurping sounds of flesh being punctured viciously. The elf landed on her side with an "oomph", and he unceremoniously skidded to a halt with several grunts and whines. Looking through blurry pain filled eyes, he saw the Goren reaching for another rock, but he wouldn't have any of that. Staggering his way back to his feet, he stumbled his way at the creature and started hacking at it with his axes. The axes unleashing bursts of flame and arcs of lightning with their impacts. Finally he struck it square between the eyes with a flame shock, burning it severely. Pulling the shard of rock loose from himself, he used one of his axes to slam the shard through the Goren, felling it where it stood before falling backwards himself. Laying there with a large hole in one side of his chest, he sputtered a bit. Anita crawled over, looking down at her commander crying. "Why'd you do that you idiot!" she mumbled, tears splashing on his muzzle. "Stu-u-p-p-id E-e-e-lf" he muttered before smiling at her and passing out.
Durn was the first to come around the corner, finding the elf crying over the commander's still form. He swore, shifting back to his normal form and running over to the elf and commander. Checking the commander, he still had a pulse, but it was weak. Looking down, he saw a large hole ripped through the chain mail armor, and exposed flesh and a pool of blood forming. "Back up…" he told the elf with a scowl on his face. She looked up, just nodding and doing what he said. Raising his hands into the air and giving a bit of a chant, his palms started to emanate a blue-green glow, and the air began to feel damp, almost watery in nature. Slowly the commander's chest began to patch up. "That's going to leave on hell of scar." Durn said to no one in particular. "Hope you're happy with yourself kiddo," he said at the elf "this dumb lugs going to be out for a while. I suggest you start figuring out what you're going to say when he comes to." The elf sniffled and just stared at the unconscious Tauren on the ground. He had been right. She wasn't ready, and she was a fool to go off on her own.
A few seconds later, the two guards arrived with their weapons ready, only to find their commander on the ground next to the body of a massive Goren. "Take him up to the main hall, and have one of the healers check in on him. I'll be at the command hut. Get me when he wakes up." "Y-Y-yes Sir!" one of them stammered back, looking confused.
About a day later, Synar was finally coming to. "Ugh… feel like I got hit by a stampeding Kodo." He mumbled, looking around. He was in the treatment area of the main hall of his garrison. "Guess I lived… heh," he said before noticing a weight on his chest when he started to get up, "what the?" Looking down, he say the form of an elf passed out on top of a stool, laying on top of his chest. He recognized what little was left of the battered and destroyed armor. It was Anita, and she didn't look too bad off given all the damage to her gear. "Guess you're okay too kiddo…" he said before patting her back and laying back down, waiting for her to wake up. Eventually one of the healers came by and noticed he was moving. A guard was sent to let Durn know that he'd finally woken up. A few minutes later Durn came walking in, looking at the commander with the elf passed out and laying across his chest. "Ya know, she's been there for the better part of the last day bawling her eyes out?" "Really?" he asked, looking at the little elf. "What was she all worked up over?"
Durn rolled his eyes before nudging the elf with his foot. "Wha-wha-what?!" she stammered before sliding and falling offer her chair. Both Synar and Durn broke out laughing at that, but she just looked ashamed of herself. "Heh, maybe now you'll understand why I give everyone the missions I do." "Yea… I think I understand now… Um.. thank… thank you commander." She mumbled before getting up and kissing the Tauren on the lips and darting out of the hall. "I'm just going to get my things and go back to Silver Moon before I cause you anymore trouble!" she squeaked running out the door.
"What are you waiting for you big idiot." Durn more or less growled at Synar. "Go after her already!" Sliding himself off the cot as quickly as he could, Synar started stumbling his way towards the door. "A little help?" "Fine…" Durn grumbled, grabbing his commander's side and helping him along. "She's a good kid ya know" Durn said as they trudged towards the barracks. "I know… it's why I don't want her or any of them to get hurt. They haven't gotten a chance to see what the world is really like yet." "I'm starting to wonder if you're going a bit soft there boss." Looking Durn right in the face, Synar started laughing. "You're one to talk my old friend, what happened to that old 'leave the deadweight behind' attitude of yours?"
"I found someone I loved… and I couldn't bare to leave her behind." Durn said, looking off towards one of the buildings in the garrison.
Enjoy, I might do more of this one later.