Degraza Darkore was born in the Hillsbrad Foothills to a Blackrock orc couple imprisoned in one of the internment camps there. She was still an infant when she and her parents were freed, and she grew up mostly in Kalimdor, residing in Orgrimmar with her parents since it was built. Her parents were very supportive of Garrosh Hellscream, and when he rallied orcs to his side in the conflict against the Darkspear Rebellion and the Alliance, her parents sided with him, eventually losing their lives in the process. Degraza, meanwhile, was left an orphan, taken in by the Orgrimmar orphanage, as she was still barely too young to be on her own.
It was during her time in this orphanage that she met Horthok Steelcleaver, an old orc veteran who often came by the orphanage to visit the children and tell them stories from his past. Degraza grew close to Horthok, and eventually before the Legion's final invasion of Azeroth, he adopted her and made her his heir. Horthok was the last of his family's line - He had no current mate, his only one he had ever had murdered before they could have their child together.
In the years following her adoption, Degraza learned much of Horthok's past. The tragedy that made him the last Steelcleaver, his struggles with continuing his life without the things he cherished most, and the battles he took part in. The Legion's final invasion was the last battle she heard him speak of when he briefly visited home from time to time after departing to fight off the demons one last time. She was still a teenager and was considered too young by Horthok to partake in the fight, and so she remained at her new home after he had departed, cherishing the brief days that he would return occasionally.
After Argus appeared in the sky, Horthok joined Azeroth's forces in traveling there, yet just several months later he was forced to return home after falling victim to a horrific curse that had been placed on him in a battle against a powerful demon. Degraza took care of Horthok as he stayed bed-ridden at home in the weeks since he returned, but her caring for him was coming to a close, an end that was to be made reality in the dark of their home, three weeks after Horthok had come back.