To Be Honored
A young Tauren Druid stands in Thunderbuff, Honored and Decorated as a warrior and a hero. But, at what cost did such titles come?
A Young female Tauren Druid stands alone, leaning against the large totem that serves and a key Vault in the first mesa of Thunderbluff. Her fur is soft and white, but not such a snow white, as can be seen in some Tauren Death Knights. Her brown hair is cut in short braids at shoulder length. Her arms are crossed, and her expression is serous. Where at one time, it would have been soft and gentle. Like her name, Kotona.
The armor she dons, has hanging feathers from the shoulders, and is in shades of browns and purples. Her staff that sits on her back, is bent, and flashes a small blade on the end, with yet another long black feather hanging just under the crook.
In Tauren society, donning feathers from ones shoulders and or headgear, is a sigh of rank, honor, and some times, both. At least, that's one chouse. Other options are of course, badges, weapons, and even special tabards. All traditions of the hord have been adopted and added. All are one. All are equal.
A young Tauren child walks by with this mother. The female Druid smiles at him. Or at least tries to. The small boy takes one look at her and hides behind his mother. He is familiar with the rank the druids feathers show.
A Blood Guard.
Not the most savory title. And one that had been earned, only recently. Too recently. And yet, already, the story had seemed to spread. The once gentle druid, was now feared. Bumped several ranks, from her former one.
She was a decorated soldier now? But at what cost? Was it worth it? NO! She lost it! Lost him! She, he was, it, it wasn't worth it. She was no longer the gentle soul that could be loved by young ones. She no longer had his arms to embrace her…
All because of one incident.
It shouldn't have been possible.
Because of one story.
She shouldn't be standing here.
Because of some foolish alliance.
She should be dead.
Because of one blood elf.
It should never have happened.
Because of the one she loved.
It had been raining that night. …
Rain beat down hard on her as she road though the night. Her talbuk's hoofs bead down hard on the dirt road. Her long braided hair, smacked hard against her. Weighed down by all the water from the rain. The Barrans should have been a safe place at this time. He had gone there on business. Young adventures where always eager to try new things, always looking for something to give them an extra edge to try and keep them living longer, and He, had been a rising enchanter.
He would give young adventures good enchants for their stage in growth, even recommendations for upgrades when the reached that point. All for a Price that is.
Well, the advice was free. … Normally.
It was late, He hadn't showed.
They where supposed to talk more on there wedding plans.
She had been waiting at the Inn in Thunderbluff. That's when she got word,
The Alliance had attacked.
He was down there.
She waited for no one.
The rain stag at her eyes like a thousand bees. But on she road. She just had to find him. Please, don't let him be… She couldn't even bring her self to think it.
There!
There, in the middle of the field, about 2 maybe 3 miles from the Cross Roads, near the path that leads to Durotar. He was lying still, and his succubus lay dead just a few feet away. Oh no…
"Goradith!" She yelled out and dismounted, running to his side as fast as she could.
Kneeling down in the mud and water, she lifted his head. The blood elf groaned.
Yes, a blood elf. She had fallen in love with a blood elf. And he in turn, had fallen in love with her. She had been surprised when he asked her to marry him.
A blood elf and a Tuaren? It was such an absurd thought. She asked him a series of questions, hearing his answers, until finally, she accepted.
His voice sounded as though it was filled with so much pain. Blood seeped from a wound on his head. It was then she realized, it wasn't just water from the rain his clothing was damp with. His cloak was just covered with blood.
"no," she found herself squeaking through tears.
"Kotona.." she heard him murmur.
"Goradith, Hang on, I'll heal you!" she yelled, as she began to recite a healing spell.
Healing wasn't her specialty, but, maybe, it would be enough.
His blood hand grasping hers interrupted her spell.
"N. No, you, … must run…" he said weakly.
She looked down at him in shock.
"But WHY?!"
"Because, why, (Cough) Do you think, …. they left me, a- a- Alive?"
Suddenly Kotona became aware of the presents of several Alliance around her. It was a Trap! Set to capture any unsuspecting members of the hoard. Only, she doubted they intended to take her alive..
As she looked up, she could see a few silhouettes. Five at least. Closing with, just Waiting, to see what she would do. Probably looking for some cheep amusement from there prey. They where, too close and closed in to make a getaway. At least, with Goraidth it was. She wasn't about to leave him. But, too many for her to fight on her own. She held the bloof elf close to her chest, bending her head down over him.
"Kotona, … listen, you have to, … run. You have to, … live. I, Love you, and I- Don't want to see you-"
"NO! I'm not going to leave you! Rejuvenate!"
But as she cast the restorative spell on her fallen love, an arrow flew through the air, and pierced her right in her left shoulder.
She yelled out in pain, and nearly dropped the blood elf warlock.
'No! I have to protect him! That's why I became a Warrior! So I could protect people!' She quickly laid him down and transformed in to a lion with a roar, just as she was tackled by a 300 pound Tiger cat. One of them was a hunter. She managed to throw off the beast, but then felt a hard solid blow to her head.
A human male, she could tell, and a Paladin, had just thrown his shield at her. Her new target in sight, she pounced. Leaping trough the air, and landed dead on the paladin, managing to scratch him across the face, just before being pulled off by a warrior. A Damned Dwarf. The hunter, as it turned out was a female night elf, and her pet came back in full charge. Arrows flying. Two hit home, and the cat returned the favor across her face. She felt blood poor down her face mixed highly with water.
The rain stung at her wounds, and the dwarf threw her across the field, where she then felt a dagger sink quickly in her side, along with a familiar sensation of Poison. A Rouge.
Kotona turned her head and managed to see the Gnome pull his knife free from her before vanishing again, ready to strike the stunned and some how still alive druid.
Another resounding crack met her side and she heard the distinct sound of a few ribs cracking as yet another human warrior sent her flying with a swing of his two handed mace.
Blood, mud and water filled her mouth, as she staggered to her feet.
'No, I can't.. Goraidth..' She thought. Protecting him. That was the only thing that was keeping her going.
Lighting flashed across the sky, fallowed quickly by the sound of Thunder. It was then that the silhouette of yet another rouge was seen. This one was standing right over Goraidth.
He had served his purpose to them.
Realizing this, Kotona Leapt at him with all the strength she could muster.
"NOOO!"
She tackled him, but not before the Night elf had plunged his dagger right in to Goraidth.
The dagger left in the Blood elfs torso. Blood seeping from around it. Lighting, and thunder once more filled the aria.
"NOOOO!" Kotona cried, getting off the stunned night elf, and taking a few arrows to her rear, as she ran back to the fallen blood elf. Not even feeling the arrows.
Stunned by this, the Alliance halted.
On foresight, it was a bad idea on there part.
The lion stood over Goraidth's body. Tears and rain and blood falling down her cheeks.
'I failed. This is it. I couldn't protect. I couldn't do it. I couldn't protect. I'm going to die to now. I couldn't protect. A total failure. I couldn't protect. I'm a total. I couldn't, .. protect him. I couldn't…'
Red. She saw red.
"You, MONSTERS!!!" She roared as she took the form of a mighty bear.
She charged, her first target the night elf rouge.
The transformation snapped the alliance back in to action.
The Rouge got hit, the tiger grappled at her side, it's paw mingled with the arrows on her flank, she didn't care. Her jaws closed in around the Night Elf rouges head. Arrows flew. Piercing her in the back by her neck, The tigers claws slowly raked down her side, taking two older arrows out roughly with it. The Gnome stabbed at her back leg, and she felt the two warrior's grab her around her neck, but still she pushed forward. She heard the male Night elf, Screaming.
She didn't care.
The Palladin brought the blunt end of his sword down at the side of her jaw.
She wouldn't let go.
Her jaws, clamped shut. The screaming stopped. She dropped him.
Who's next?
The paladin felt the weight of her paw next. Her claws raked across his chest armor, leaving deep marks. But the others finally managed to pull her back. But she rolled over the Gnome in the process.
Rain poured down on the group. And Kotona, was now fighting like a rabid animal. She moved to charge, but stopped in agony.
The gnomes dagger was still stuck in her leg.
As the Bear turned to look, the Tiger charged and raked at her face.
Green light swirled around her, and the dwarf warrior, swung his blade at her, she cried out in pain as she felt the blade, run and tear it's self trough her skin, running from her left shoulder down to her left thigh.
One good swing of her paw took care of the troublesome cat.
She heard the hunter cry out.
Killing a hunters pet was a grave taboo.
The two warriors now charged her, she had to back up or take the full force of there weapons. Arrows flew, one landed in her eye.
The bear roared in pain.
'NO! NOT HERE! NOT LIKE THIS! AND NOT HERE!!!!'
The bear charged forward and racked the hunter with a series of mangles, only to soon realize that there was a constant stabbing sensation on her back.
The druid rolled over and heard the familiar grunt of a gnome.
Still alive huh?
I guess it's true what they say. Gnomes Bounce.
As her jaws went to meet with the small gnomes face, another blast of the paladins shield stopped her, and then she was once more bashed relentlessly by the two warriors, The paladin joined shortly after.
So much blood, clouded her vision. Too much rain, too much noise.
Vengeance.
Two screams. One shortly after the other. The gnome had now joined the two night elfs among the rank of the dead.
After all, he had just been run tough by his friends sword. And the bears paw with him. The human, yelled out in anger, and then stabbed the druid bear. Who finally fell.
This isn't a bad way to die is it?
"Kotona, you have to-" Those words echoed.
NO! I can't!
To the remaining alliance surprise, the bear once again started to stand. The paladin stopped chanting his spell, and drew his sword.
"KOTONA!"
The battle was still three to one.
She was dyeing.
Then, she felt, so warm.
But the rain was so cold.
The wind blew fiercely. Ice formed.
She charged. Arrows flew, and so did fire.
The battle had ended. Just like that then.
"Kotona!" some one cried out.
"Kotona-san!" said another
"Koto!"
"Kotona!" said two more at once.
She looked up, there stood 3 people, who where, very familiar to her, no, there was 4, no, 6. You have to count the pets. Another female Tauren. Boveenia. And her pet black lion. Ryan.
Also, the undead Priest. Nitdize. Along with the Male Tauren deathnight, Thuddeus, and the undead Warlock, Fredd.
Boveena, was in a matching set of dragon styled armor. Nitdize had more of a mixed style set, but it shone, even in the rain, with lovely shades of blues and whites. Thuddes's armor was decorated in skulls, and shades of dark purple and blue. As expected of a Death Knight. Just as Fredd was decorated in a red and black cloak.
Nitdize looked around the field. Now that the job was good and done he could now survey the damage.
Nitdize was not as grotesque as most undead. Sure he was rotting, but it was a slightly lower level. He still has his lower jaw to. Then again, so did Fredd. Only Fredd had a face plate.
"Kotona-san, did you do this?" he asked.
Half the group had already been dead by the time they arrived. So the warmth, she had felt, it belonged to Nit. It was one of his healing spells. They, her friends and Guild mates, had just saved her life.
"To survive as long as you did, against This many alliance on your own, is quiet a feat." Said Thuddeus.
Thuddeus, was one of the snow white tauren death knights, with a soft light blue main. But his fur and armor was splattered with blood.
"We where worried about you, so we came looking." Boveenia said. Her hair style was a short braid style, and her fur was brown and white spotted. But it couldn't really be seen with her armor style.
Fredd remained quiet, along with his felguard.
Kotona looked around, as best as she could see. Blood was everywhere. She couldn't even remember the last half of the battle. She, felt so, faint…
"Nit-san, I…" She started, before falling to the ground. The water, mud and blood making a loud splash as the druid bear, fell and hit the ground.
Poison,
"KOTONA!" they all cried.
When she woke, she was in her normal form, in Orgimmar hospital. Slowly, she sat up in the straw hospital bed. She was bandaged from head to hoof. What happened? No, wait,
"GORAIDTH!"
"Kotona…" a sad voice sounded.
She looked to her right.
Bov, was sitting there waiting. She explained that Nit-san had been able to revive her, but, that it was too late, to save Goraidth.
She cried.
She was let out two days later. A guard came and reported one day ago, that the warchief, Thrall, wanted to see her when she was feeling better. She wanted to look proper. So, Boveenia went with her to the bank. Besides, Kotona also wanted to get some herbs to make some medicines and elixirs. As a way to thank her friends. Though, she knew they would gladly accept them, she also knew, that they said, it wasn't necessary.
Her hair was cut now, and back to it's original short length. She had grown out her braids for, her wedding. The banker lead her to the chest that was her, and she removed the herb back. Beneath it was, her wedding dress.
The tailor made dress she had ordered. And just paid for, not 2 days before. Setting aside the herb back, she picked up the white gown carefully. Running her hand over the soft embordaded material. She, didn't even get the chance, to show him. …
Tears started to fill her eyes.
"You, promised…" She mummured.
"Kotona?" said Boveenia gently.
"You promised you'd make it to Northrend safely."
It was then that Boveenia realized she wasn't talking to her or the banker. Or anyone else that happened to be there. She was speaking to some one, who was not there. Who could no longer be there.
"You said you didn't care who thought we where odd, you'd incinerate them. But above all, your promised you'd marry me regardless.. that you would make to it me, in Northrend safely. That we would get married in Dalaran… and now, and now…"
Once more, Kotona cried. Boveenia, held her tight. She would probably never, cry enough.
Later, after Kotona had time to compose herself, she and the other met Thrall. Not In Ogrimmar, but in the place where the battle took place. Kotona, had donned her hord insignia tabard. The other, had made sure to have there armor cleaned.
"Look at this place, even though it rained, it is stained, with the color of blood." He said.
All the bodies had been removed. Thrall, even saw to it, that the Alliance where taken to be brought back to an Alliance town. They had been sent though ratchet. Goraidth, had been sent to Silvermoon. His Funeral would be in 2 days.
"For such a small battle, for so much blood to be soaked in to the ground. It shall stay like this for a while."
While the same cannot be guaranteed of Thrall. It is a great honor to spill blood in battle for an Orc. Thrall is a kind leader, but a warrior all the same. Though some of his followers see his kindness as a weakness.
"Kotona, I remember you, you're the druid who sent word to me of the finding of our tribe in Outlands, correct?"
"Um, yes sir." She said. Flattered that he remembered her.
It was then, that she learned that she had taken out a group of murders who had been tormenting areas all around Kalemdor, and then, just how highly ranked they where in the Alliance. They where Generals in the army. And one inparticular, among those she had killed, the Hunter, had been especially high ranked. And was apparently, the squads leader. A surgical attack squad, who apparently, had been killed, just because they went out and caused trouble, because they had nothing better to do.
At least, that's how it seemed.
Goraidth, he noted, did have an uncanny resemblance to one the blood elf's leaders most trusted body guards. Perhaps they saut to trap a leader.
But still, to use such methods..
Such dishonor to their ranks.
It was then, that her own rank was increased skipping 3 full ranks.
Her friends, each skipped 2. Except for Thudd, who got a one rank promotion, as he was already a blood guard.
"Kotona-san?"
And yet, Even now, in further retrospect, Kotona found regrets. It's true she didn't want to die that day. Just as she didn't want Goraidth to die. And Yet he did. But all the same, from the moment she had taken her first life from that group, it hadn't been done for want of survival, But for the need of Revenge.
"Koto-san?"
Revenge, such a dirty thing. Something, she would have never have condoned. Those alliance had tried to kill her first yes, and she would be lying if she said she had never stuck first in the past, but still, Revenge is the worst reason she could find to kill someone. For it just begins a vicious chain of killing. Those alliance, they probably had families and lovers to…
"KOTONA-SAN!"
Nit-san's voice came from behind her shaking her from her thoughts. She opened her eyes, and turned to him.
Nit-san, it was a nick name she herself had one day given him, long ago. And the name, stuck. It sounded nice, and the soon, the whole guild had started to call him that. To add, he liked it. So much so, he returned the favor.
"You where crying again Koto-san. You, where thinking about that day again, weren't you?" The undead said. Worry evident, in his glowing yellow eye sockets.
She doesn't ask questions as to how emotion shows in his, "eyes"
"Yes, Nit-san, I'm afraid I was." She answers truthfully.
Goradith's funeral had been three weeks prior. A traditional Blood Elf Funeral. Complete with some Warlock Death Ritual. Goraidith would have wanted it.
"Well, Cheer up Kotona-san. Death is a part of the cycle of life. And it is hard to let them go. But, I don't think he'd be happy, to see you not so happy." The undead said, trying to cheer up his friend.
To add to his unique eyes, his voice box must not have been too badly deteriorated. For his voice lacked such a husky sound, that was common with undead. Well, it was there, but not very apparent.
Kotona smiles. And this time, it's not so empty. Time heals all wounds, even if they are slow to heal. But good friends, make great medicine.
"I know. And your right. Even you my friend are part of this Circle of life. But it will take me some time, before I can fully smile again."
Nitdize smiled a Very, toothy grin.
Something he couldn't help even if he wanted to.
"Take all the time you need Kotona-san."
"But not to much, if you please." Came another voice.
Fredd the undead, walked up to the group. His Felgaurd fallowing looking quite upset. But, that wasn't new.
"Oh look, Freddisdead." Nitdize said, smiling more, causing Kotona to smile a bit more to.
"Ha ha, you knew I was already dead, so stop the joke, it wasn't funny when you first said it, after meeting me in our undead life!"
When Nit, had first met Fredd, it's believed he knew him from life, for he had screamed, "Oh my God! Fredd Is DEAD!"
A story, which he often tells.
"But it's amusing." Nit countered.
Fredd finally waved him off and looked to there druid friend.
"You'll see him again some day, I'm sure. But for you sake and ours, I hope it's not to soon."
Kotona let out a small chuckle.
"Yes, I shall have to agree with that. Now, are we just about ready to go? We need to meet the others for, what was it, Naxx?"
"Yes, Koto-san, I think so."
"Yes, we are. We're supposed to meet in Dalaran first to make sure the group and our strategy is in order." Said Fredd.
"Right, and I Tanking? Or Healing With Nit-san this time?"
"I think your healing with Me Koto-san. Because I think we got Kipps and Don tanking. Or was it Kipps and Thudd?"
The druid groaned. She really wanted to tank... Only for her guild. Only for them, would she heal.
"Right. I'll have to get my gear, and swap my tree then."
"Yeah! Alright, Hurry up!" said Nit happily.
Time heals all wounds, and friends make great medicine. But at what cost, must we pay for that which is given?
My friends, if I die, don't avenge me..
(All ranks are null and void as they are no longer obtainable in the game and made obsolete. All Characters are residents and former residents of the respective server. All Characters belong to there respective players. All are my friends!)