"Damned adventurers," Thror scoffed. As a captain for the Horde, he had dealt with many of them over the years and he had developed a distaste for their kind - always clamoring for "quests" and expecting praise and lavish rewards for the simplest of tasks. Still, he supposed they had their uses. He narrowed his red eyes at the blood elf paladin swaggering into his camp. A trail of blood dripped from the base of the satyr's head which she carried by the hair.
"Good day, Captain Blackscar!" she called to him. Her plate helmet was fashioned like a snarling demon's head, but she pulled it off to reveal the symmetrical, angular features and fair skin that were common in her kind. Her hair, pulled in a tight ponytail, shone like black glass in the sunlight. "I was told to come see you about a mission."
"Aye, and who sent you, blood elf?"
"Ogrimmar sends me," she answered, handing him a letter written in Garrosh Hellscream's own illegible scratchings. "They've received reports of escalating violence in the area and thought you might need some help with setting up the new outpost in Ashenvale."
"I see." He scanned the letter quickly, and then paused to size her up. She seemed a bit too slim and delicate to be of much use, through her heavy armor and weaponry spoke of experience in battle. Her green eyes shone with an unsettling light. "And what exactly is that," he asked, pointing at the head.
"Oh, I had business in Felwood on my way here. I heard Verius here had been attacking Horde camps, so I tracked him down and killed him. I thought I'd bring his head to you as a present, Captain." She smirked and threw the head at his feet. Its tongue lolled out grotesquely and its eyes stared at him unseeing.
He chuckled at her arrogance and threw a small purse of coins at her. "Well done, paladin. A true champion of the Horde, if I ever met one. Lenara Nightstrider, is it?"
She nodded.
"I did ask for more reinforcements, but I did not expect Ogrimmar to send me a single adventurer. Still, I suppose the Horde offensive is stretched thin enough. I'll make do with you. Help pack up supplies. We ride for Ashenvale at first light." With that, he turned and strode away. He still had much to do.
Lenara watched the young Horde captain walk away for a moment longer before turning to obey his orders. She barely suppressed a giggle of excitement. Though he hadn't shown it, it seemed the head had done its job and impressed Thror enough to allow her to join his company. The enigmatic orc warrior's reputation as a military leader was quickly gaining momentum and stories of his improbable victories were on everybody's lips. He was notoriously dismissive of adventurers and often turned down their requests to join his campaigns, even when they carried orders from the Warchief himself.
Elated, Lenara worked until well after the hot Durotar sun had dipped below the horizon. That night, she shared a drink and stories of war with some of the orc soldiers gathered around the camp fire before retiring to her tent. The captain did not reappear. Whatever task had drawn him to his tent still kept him there and the light from his lamp shone into the early hours of the morning.