Hey all, back with Adventures Abound sequel :P

PLS Note-

Unlike Adventures Abound, this will be more of a drabblish kind of fic. Basically one or two chapters will form a mini story (the first mini story of how they get to panderia may be three chapters long). Then the next one or two will do the same thing, basically following the group's journeys in Pandaria.

Some readers may encounter characters they've never seen before. Lastraza joins the group in my fic 'A Death Knight's Story,' and Stormwing at the end of 'Adventures Abound.' Imyra joins her sister in travel in the aftermath of the Cataclysm.

Anyway, on with the story :D

Emala, arms crossed, was standing on one of the wooden docks in Ratchet. She seemed to be waiting for something, staring out at the sea.

Her lean frame was covered in comfortable brown leather armor, her black hair blowing loose in the salty sea wind. The tauren's fur was a lighter black than her hair. Her helm was in her pack, as there was no need to wear it. She bore a scar on her lower jaw, a long one on her arm, and one over her left eye. Both of her eyes were a deep, penetrating green. A longbow and a quiver of arrows were slung over her back, and a pair of glaives hung from the right side of her belt-replacements for her ancient one handed sword that had finally broken after years. If anything, though, she had found the glaives were far more suited for her. Despite that, Emala kept the broken sword out of respect back at her home in Mulgore, even though she was rarely there.

Her red raptor, Pierceclaw, had long fallen asleep. He was curled on the surface of the dock, his red scales gleaming in the light of the sun.

The hunter had received word a day ago that a ship neither alined with Alliance or Horde would be leaving the port a day before any other vessels. It was reportedly a pirate ship, and manned by strange humanoids that refused to admit their place of origin. Most of Ratchet's locals suspected they came from some far off corner of Azeroth, but none had been able to dig up certain information to confirm it.

The pirates had supposedly arrived in Ratchet not too long ago, and spread the news that they were offering passage to the newly discovered land of Panderia. The pirates had also announced that they could only take a limited amount of people. Emala, like everyone else, had been rather stunned when she first heard that a off course merchant ship had sighted a landmass that matched the description of the mythological Panderia.

Emala didn't care that the ship she was waiting for was a pirate ship, or where it's crew came from. She had no problem working with shady beings. The hunter loved new places, and she enjoyed being the first-along with her companions-to explore unspoiled land. And as mercenaries, it meant that she and her group would be the first to grab jobs.

Spoiled that land will be, Emala thought with disgust, heaving a sigh. When the pig Garrosh and that idiot Varian get their armies over there. I'd rather enjoy it without pointless bickering first.

She had a long standing hate of Garrosh, one that made her view him as a foolish and unworthy leader. Her loyalty strongly laid with Thrall, the former Warchief. She still had a strong memory of a the time she had been in a bar with friends in Orgrimmar. A peon had entered, and gone to the first table by the door. Which by chance was where Emala had been sitting.

The peon had been there to find fighters for a errand of Garrosh's. When asked, Emala stated firmly that she would die before she became Hellscream's lapdog. The peon had backed away trembling when she threatened him to get him to leave, and run off to ask the other bar patrons. She knew that it had been risky to announce her opinion so publically, but so far her veteran status and loose affiliation with the Horde had been enough to keep her out of trouble with the Warchief.

"When the day comes that Hellscream dies, I'll welcome it," Emala grumbled aloud.

Her thought process was interrupted when the pounding of two pairs of feet sounded behind her on the wooden dock. She glanced over her shoulder to see two of her companions arriving. By her feet, Pierceclaw awakened with a snort from his nap.

One of the approaching figures was a young troll mage, with shaggy red hair that straggled over into his line of sight. It was kept from obscuring his vision by a black headband. The rest was tied in a ponytail on the back of his head. His eyes were slate gray, filled with youthful excitement. He was holding a bag in his hands, one that contained coins from the sound of the jingling resounding from inside.

The second being was a black haired blood elf in leather armor. But Emala and the rest of the companions knew what he really was. Along with Stormwing and Lastraza, Skydive was a drake, the only netherwing of the group.

He appeared just as bright eyed and excited as Zalleen. As the pair drew closer, though, Emala became aware of a stale beer smell drifting from them.

The hunter's eyes shot daggers as the troll mage and shapeshifted netherwing stopped before her, panting. "Have you two been drinking?" she demanded harshly.

Zalleen let out a tentative giggle. He draped one arm over Skydive's shoulder and leaned on his friend, who staggered slightly. Skydive then looked at Emala's infuriated face, blinked woozily, and gave her a lopsided smile. "It was just a little...and hours ago."

Emala threw her hands into the air in exasperation and began to pace on the pier in a frenzy. Pierceclaw stepped out of her way, mirroring his master's accusing glare with his yellow eyes. "You damn fools must have been dunk, then! You still aren't quite right in the head."

"I guess..." Zalleen mumbled defensively, still using Skydive's shoulder as a support.

The tauren hunter threw him a searing glance. Although not directed specifically at the netherwing drake, Skydive flinched as well.

"You were supposed to be getting supplies for the time on the ship! The captain made it clear they wouldn't be supplying food for passengers and we would have to bring our own."

At the mention of the word, 'ship,' Skydive groaned adamantly. "I still don't get why we need to take a boat to Panderia."

"Because there's no other way yet," Emala shot back, her voice sharper than one of her arrows. "There no zeppelin routes there. And none of you drakes have the stamina to carry us for five days over open water. As for waiting and hitching rides on Horde ships, that's not a option. I want to be first there and get at least a few hours of peace."

"B-"

Skydive's argument was cut short by Zalleen. "Hold on there, I've already told you that I brewed something with my amazing alchemy skills to stop you from getting groundsick for a duration of the trip." Zalleen grinned, reveling in his boasting. "You'll get to focus on other things besides being sick."

"Focus on what?" Skydive griped. "All that's out there is water. I may not get groundsick, but I'll still be bored out of my mind!"

"Be grateful for what you have, dammit!" Emala snapped, glaring at him harder. "At least you'll be marginally comfortable." She paused and peered past the shoulders of here two slightly drunken companions, looking at the ramshackle buildings of Ratchet. "What about Imyra, Lastraza and Stormwing? Have you seen them?"

"Nn...nadda. No," Zalleen mumbled back. "I wish I had something to get rid of this little pounding in my head..."

"I think I saw them at the inn and the weapon's shop," Skydive helpfully added, before staring at the ocean in disgust.

Emala heaved a tired sigh. "Maybe they at least stayed on task.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is that everything?"

in response to Stormwing's question, Lastraza ruffled through Imyra's now full bag, while the tauren druid held it for the shapeshifted red drake. Currently Lastraza had taken the form of a female blood elf in red robes and sporting long brown hair. The storm drake beside her, currently in the guide of a orc warrior with pine green skin, watched her carefully for a response.

"Indeed we do." Lastraza removed her hands, and Imyra closed the bag and slung it over her leather padded shoulder. "I have a very goof memory."

"That's a hell of a good thing, too," Imyra commented as the trio left the inn and walked at a steady pace down the dry cobbled path to the harbor. "Knowing Skydive and Zalleen, they didn't do any of what they were supposed to."

"That's why I'm regretting that I didn't tag along with them to keep them in line," Stormwing grumbled. He scowled when a goblin carrying teetering sacks of coins ran into his leg, nearly causing him to stumble. Then backed up and continued on his way without even glancing at the irritated drake. "Instead I had to settle for insisting on double the amount of supplies we were meant to get."

"At least we won't go hungry thanks to your insistence," Imyra replied. "If not maybe I could have hooked fish out of the ocean with my bare claws."

The other two companions laughed at the druid's joke. When they reached the pier, however, they found a situation that was anything but humorous.

Baffled, they watched as Zalleen and Skydive sat down on the edge of the pier, mumbling words to each other in low voices. Emala, a furious glare boring into their backs, stood with one hand twitching like it wanted to become a fist.

"Looks like our assumption was correct," Lastraza said somewhat blankly, gaze flicking from Skydive and Zalleen to Emala and back again.

"you would be very correct," Emala growled. The icy tone of her voice clearly meant she had already berated her irresponsible companions for their mistakes, but for once to little effect. "Thanks do them getting damn drunk last night, we have half of the planned supplies missing."

"Actually, I predicted this and prepared for it," Stormwing gestured at the bag that Imyra carried. She sent him a smile and tossed the bag to her sister, who caught it effortlessly with one hand. Imyra looked very like her sister, except her facial features were a little more round, her eyes were a coppery yellow instead of green, and she had two white stripes across the bridge of her nose. Her leather armor was a darker brown than the hunter's, and she wore a green band with two feathers hanging down on either side of her face. She also seemed to have a happier attitude than the irritable, grouchy personality of her older sibling.

Emala prized the bag open and inspected the contents. Allowing herself a rare smile, she handed the bag to Lastraza, who then passed it back on to Imyra. "Very good. That makes up for Skydive's and Zalleen's incompetence."

"I did make the anti groundsickness stuff," Zalleen said in a kind of whiny tone. "Don't I get credit for that?"

"I suppose you do," sighed Emala, two fingers massaging her temple. One of these days the stress of running this group will get to me, she thought. Then she snorted. That just won't happen anytime soon.

"Maybe if we didn't have to go there on a boat-"

Before Skydive could finish his plaintive plea, Lastraza cut him off. "Zalleen has a solution to groundsickness. I, for one, am eager to observe hat it's like to ride on a ship without feeling it."

"I can't deny I don't feel the same, Skydive," Stormwing chimed in, watching with amusement as Skydive turned fully to face them with a incredulous expression.

"There's something wrong with both of you."

That earned him a bout of laughter from everyone, even Emala.

"What about Atlanta? She was getting new, um...what are they called?"

"Wetstones."

The hoarse voice was that of the final member of the group. The Death Knight seemed to have walked up to them with a silence that didn't match her attire of plate armor. A slim runeblade was slung over her back. She handed the stones to Emala, watching Zalleen with her eerie blue eyes.

"Those are for sharpening stuff, right?" he mumbled.

"Yes. They're for sharpening blades. The ones we had before were too worn," Emala responded, putting the stones in her bag.

"What are we still doing here?" Skydive asked, shading the sun from his eyes and peering out across the water.

"Waiting for the ship."

Skydive lapsed into grudging silence from Emala's curt response. For the next few hours the group made small talk, until the sun was midway in the sky and the ship was expected to come.

And come it did.

The first sign was when red sails were spotted some ways out. At first, this was dismissed as a simple Horde ship. When the vessel drew closer, however, it became clear it was anything but a standard Horde ship.

The vessel was small-only about thirty feet long and eight feet wide, perhaps even shorter in length than that. The ship had only one mast, supporting a broad foresail and a mainsail, sticking like a fish's tail fin from the back of the pitch black mast. One jib sail stretched form the top of the mast down to the very tip of a single, long bowsprit. A golden length of chain was hung on it, swaying gently with the motion of the vessel and glittering in the sunset. The body of the ship was made of a dark reddish wood, unfamiliar but vaguely similar to pine. The railing was solid gray wood, plain and unadorned. Two small cannons pocking through holes in the railing by the front of the bow were the only signs of artillery.

All in all, it was a unusual ship to see on the oceans of Azeroth-it was easy to believe it had come from somewhere unknown, whether it was a place on Azeroth or beyond.

The vessel pulled up beside the pier, bringing with it a air of silent anticipation. Seemingly spellbound by the unfamiliarity, the companions closely watched the ship. Then movement drew their eyes to a slender figure walking from the steering wheel down to the solid gray rail. The being seemed to be a woman, dressed in a long cloth robe striped with gold and blue down the front and back and wearing a red sash as a belt. A leather sash with a bronze buckle was slung diagonally across her shoulder, holstering a sword with a gold wrapped hilt across her back. She was wearing a broad rimmed black hat pulled down to shadow her face, although it was still clear that the woman wasn't human, but a humanoid of sorts. The hat had red feathers stuck in the sash wrapped around it's hump, indicating that she was captain.

With a single effortless movement, she jumped over the ship's rail and landed seamlessly on the pier. Then the woman tilted her hat back.

Emala didn't allow herself a reaction beyond a slight jerk and taking a few steps back. Zalleen and Skydive both yelped, while Lastraza, Imyra and Stormwing's eyes widened in curiosity rather than fear. Atlanta remained expressionless.

The captain laughed mockingly. She had the face of a cat, accurate in every detail save for her eyes and a lack of whiskers. Her eyes were a piercing violet, shining cunningly in a bony, narrow face. Her bare arms and face were coated in earthy brown fur."What, never seen felisar before?" then she paused as if considering her own question. "No, I suppose you haven't-it was idiotic to ask in the first place."

"We've seen Tol'vir," remarked Emala. She stepped forward to speak with the captain eye to eye. "Sure you aren't distant relatives?"

"I assure you my race is unrelated to them in anything more than appearance," was the calm response. "I'm Captain Kypra."

"Emala." Emala paused, thinking. "Should I tell you my last name?"

Kypla grinned, showing teeth that were fairly human with the exception of sharp canine teeth. She flicked her tail, which had gone unnoticed until now. "No need to, if the prospect is unsettling. Your name's booked for passage, along with your friends and a few other people."

Emala nodded, then whistled sharply in the direction of Skydive and Zalleen. They started, then sheepishly glanced at Kypra, rubbing their necks.

The captain's demeanor changed instantly. "Stop gaping or I'll rip your damn tongues out!" she snapped ferociously.

Zalleen and Skydive nodded mutely.

Lastraza and Stormwing shared amused glances. "I've never seen them so quiet so fast," Lastraza marveled.

"Maybe we should learn the captain's secret," Stormwing responded slyly.

"Meet the rest of the crew." Kypra turned toward the ship and sharply whistled.

A red fox with a bandana wrapped around his head leaped over the rail and played around the captain's feet, followed by two other figures-a human man with gray hair and a weathered face, wearing rough brown seafaring robes, and a being that at first glance looked like a black furred tauren. When inspected closer, the face of the bull man was flatter and more human, and his bowed legs ended in feet more like a kodo's. He also lacked a tail.

Both of them jumped the ship rail with relative ease, although in the bull man's case it looked somewhat more stiff and the impact of his landing shook the pier. The two came up to stand by their captain.

"Rust," Kypra pointed at the fox, which sat up and wagged his tail. Pierceclaw came up to Rust and the two began to stiff at each other tentatively. Imyra came up and petted the fox on the head, and he licked her hand in response.

"Cyranus," Kypra indicated to the bull man, who did nothing but give the passengers a cool nod. "Not a tauren, if you were wondering-he's another race. Minotaur."

"Ah..." Emala nodded, keeping her narrowed eyes on Cyranus. "That clears it up."

"And Byren," Kypra nodded to the gray haired man. He smiled with considerable warmth in his eyes.

"Oddly friendly for a pirate, aren't you?" Lastraza commented, not meanly but factually.

"You are paying costumers," Byren responded with a wry grin, a clever glint in his brown eyes. "Why not give you the treatment you paid for? Even us pirates aren't low enough to deprive you of that."

"That actually is a pretty good reason, mon," Zalleen mused. He grinned and nudged Skydive. "Maybe we should adopt that outlook in our mercenary work."

"That's rich, coming from you," Stormwing snorted.

"Hey!" Zalleen protested. "I give respect to you guys, just not to godsdamn strangers."

"Yeah, right," Skydive snickered. Zalleen scowled and elbowed him harder, prompting a pained grunt.

Imyra sighed, while Lastraza slapped a hand to her forehead. "Can you two ever maintain a respectable appearance?" Stormwing grumbled.

"Umm..."

"Never mind that," Emala interjected. She then addressed Kypra, who was standing relaxed on the pier, her gaze on the buildings of Ratchet. "Are we not going now?"

Kypra, who had been humming a tune under her breath, seemed to come out of a daze to answer the question. The tune was something unfamiliar, but oddly soothing and melodic. Emala almost wanted to ask the captain to resume.

"We have other passengers booked," Kypra responded. She said it with a relaxed drawl, matching her posture. "I'll be listing the rules when they get here?"

"Rules? Great, like this couldn't get any more boring," Skydive grumbled.

"Quit complaining already," Lastraza said in exasperation. "It'll be fine."

Emala ignored the entire exchange of words. She had the uneasy feeling she wouldn't like these other passengers, and she had learned a long time ago that her instincts tended to be all too accurate. "And who exactly are they?"

"No need for me to tell you," Kypra sounded far to amused for Emala's tastes. Clearly she was reveling in her current knowledge and the joys of refraining from sharing it. "Here they come." The captain shot her crewmates meaningful glances, even as Emala turned warily to see what she meant.

Instantly Pierceclaw began to growl. Emala's hand twitched toward her bow, but she maintained a carefully constructed calm facade. Imyra took a step back toward her older sister, her copper eyes seeming to gain a catlike gleam. Skydive and Zalleen started, getting up from the side of the pier and inching toward their companions. Stormwing and Lastraza had been standing at Emala's right to begin with, and they didn't make any move at all except to warily watch the newcomers.

Atlanta didn't move one inch. She remained standing firmly in place a few feet in front of the other companions with the unwavering impression of a icy mountain in the Storm Peaks. Her arms remained crossed as she gazed at the newcomers, clear threat in her eyes. Despite the hot Barrens sun, a chill touched the skin of all those present.

The new arrivals-a female worgen and a male dreanei-froze in place, watching the group of mercenaries with just as much wariness. The worgen had a black mane and fur, along with glowing yellow eyes. From the daggers in her belt and leather armor, Emala felt that the worgen was a rogue. And, oddly enough, familiar, although Emala couldn't place from where.

The dreanei's gold and silver armor dictated him as a paladin. He looked fairly young, although his face was still somewhat lined from battle and the strains of surviving in a world at war. He wore a two handed longsword on his back, but hadn't made any move to draw it.

A brown haired human mage was the last member of the trio. Unlike his two companions, he looked decidedly aggressive, even eager to attack.

The moment of tense silence was broken by Kypra. The captain strode into the space between the pair of Alliance members and the group of mercenary Horde fighters. Then she removed her hat from her head and performed a bow.

"Welcome, my passengers. I am offering passage to all factions, you see." Kypra stood again, placing her hat back upon her head. "Here are the rules. This is my ship, so you maintain them, or I throw you overboard. And Cyranus gets the pleasure of doing so."

The steel in Kypra's voice made it obvious she would not hesitate to do as she threatened. Cyranus cracked a menacing smile, his pupiless yellow eyes agleam.

This seemed to shake her listeners out of their respective trances. They turned their attention to the captain. Satisfied that she had attention, the captain crossed her arms and paced back and forth between them. "No fighting. Feel free to resume your ridiculous rivalries after you are off of my ship at your destination. The Runningwind is far faster than your cumbersome tubs-she'll get you there in a day or two. Lean against the rails to leave the deck marginally free, and try to make the amount of weight as even as possible on both sides. Below deck is off limits. There shouldn't be any rain during our voyage, so you shouldn't need to request sleeping belowdecks anyway. Got it? Any questions? Reasonable ones, mind you."

The human mage spoke up. "Do we need to travel with damn Horde?" his tone carried absolute hatred.

Kypra turned and regarded him distastefully. "I said reasonable questions. That doesn't count as reasonable. Therefore, I'm not answering it."

Emala glowered at the human mage, while Zalleen and Skydive both shot venomous glances at the him. Imyra looked over him rather disdainfully, while Lastraza, Stormwing and Atlanta retained impassive expressions. As mercenaries, the group was used to a certain level of animosity from the more loyal members of their faction. This was more intense hate, but still could be dealt with.

Despite her simmering anger, Emala bowed her head and laid her clenched fist over her heart. "I swear that me and my company will pertain to your rules, captain," she said smoothly.

The dreanei and worgen both shared glances, then looked back at the captain. "We agree."

Kypra turned her gaze to the human mage. "Is he..."

"No," the young dreanei replied, correctly guessing the end of the question. "He just arrived at the same moment."

"Names?" Kypra stated. She shot a look at the human mage when he went to open his mouth. "The worgen and dreanei first."

"Dalian," the young dreanai answered calmly, dipping his head slightly.

"Felizara," the rogue stated.

The mage seemed reluctant at first, then grudgingly said his name. "Toman."

Emala felt her breath hitch slightly. It passed quickly, but now the hunter knew where she had seen the worgen rogue before.

She's the rogue we paid to open that box in Uldum.

Pls Review :) in this story, a wandering merchant ship found Panderia, although the starting events of the expansion will still happen later on.

AUTHOR NOTE

Anyone like this? The next chapter will be the conclusion of the first mini story. I may think of a long running plot, but for now the story will progress as stated ahead.

~dharak