Ok, so here I am taking the plunge. My first publication and my first WoW fanfic. I do not own WoW obviously. The Character names are my own, at least on the Nesingwary Realm. I hope you enjoy, please R&R.
Saeuruk Bladerunner, a fine example of a male tauren at 8'6" with black hair and 'gore fest' horns of the deepest black, lay underneath of the scarce trees in the barrens, watching the stars before laying down to sleep. His kodo had been left behind at the crossroads, his mission as a scout for the Horde required stealth, and it wasn't easy to miss a giant black tauren, let alone a giant tauren on the back of an even more giant kodo. His thoughts wandered back and wondered how his friend was liking the rest and sun, he only had a few hours before the sun was down and he'd have to start off again to scout the alliance activity in the borderlands of Ashenvale. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted into a light sleep, his size preventing any of the local prowlers and hyenas from trying to make him a midday snack.
As Saeuruk slumbered, he had a series of fitful dreams. He saw the death of his family before his eyes, his mother and father being slaughtered by the alliance, his older sister throwing herself on top of him as spells rained down upon their home in the barrens, shielding him with her body. Their house burning down around them, his sister's blood matting her hair as well as his. When they were finally found by a patrol of orcs, they almost passed him over as dead, until he weakly managed to groan, losing his voice from the smoke and blood forced into his lungs. They had taken him from his family's kodo farm to Crossroads for healing. He didn't remember much about the next few weeks, but he did remember one thing, asking Thork why, his family had been far removed from the war between the Horde and the Alliance, they were simply farmers, raising kodo to sell to other farmers. Thork's answer burned in his ears to this day, "Because you are different than them, they feel that you are less than them, that you shouldn't be anything better than a slave. There is no way to remove yourself from the conflict short of death."
Saeuruk woke with a start, he hadn't been asleep long, but the dream followed him into consciousness, remembering his next words to Thork and said them slowly under his breath, "If I can't remove myself from this conflict, then I will throw myself into it, I will do what I must and what I can to prevent others from sharing my fate." The words meaning as much to him now as they had then; he had started training as a warrior as soon as he arrived at his sole living relatives camp, his mother's aging father, whom he was named after, Saeurak Earthwhisperer. His grandfather was a respected member of the Cenarion Circle, but no matter how much he tried, Saeuruk couldn't speak with the Earth Mother. He could feel her presence, but he couldn't focus enough to speak with her. His grandfather had told him he would not be able to train as a druid, there was simply too much rage in him. The path that seemed to be before him was the path of the warrior, and he began to train under Harutt Thunderhorn. His life hadn't been easy, but he threw himself at his training with a fervor that Harutt had only seen in those warriors that went on to become Honor Guards for Cairne himself. Saeuruk had no wish to be a body guard, he preferred to help the common people, he would gladly lay his life down for the chieftain, but he couldn't keep his vow as a guard. No, he wanted to be where the Alliance was currently a threat to his own people. As he closed his eyes to return to sleep, he heard Thork's words in his head upon his return to Crossroads, "Welcome back young tauren, let's see if we can channel that rage into a useful shape." Saeuruk had served with honor, never questioning orders. He served with orcs and trolls usually, but more and more often the Blood Elves and Forsaken were joining in the fight. He had slain many alliance raiders and centaur, his swords ran red with their blood, taken part in campaigns against the Grimtotem in Stonetallon mountains, those traitors that would end the lives of innocents for not supporting their cause, and he had even rallied to the call of the Warsong Outriders. He was a soldier. He gave quarter when asked, but he never asked for quarter, he would rather die by the sword than be imprisoned and made into a slave, fortunately he hadn't yet experienced either. He knew people that had died, some of his friends had died in the line of duty, but they gave their lives for the freedom of their shared people. He would do the same when his time came, but he didn't plan on dying for a VERY long time.
Saeuruk slept through the rest of the day. It was easier for him to move unnoticed at night so that was when he carried out his mission. Just as the sun was beginning to set, Saeuruk's eye's snapped open, something wasn't right, his belt felt lighter than normal now. He felt around, his hands supplementing his vision, knowing what was wrong but he couldn't believe it. His swords were missing! Just as he was about to jump up and look around, he felt one of the blades rest on his neck.
"Stay where you are tauren. Or I shall split your hide."