Chapter One
A'yora let Stoneheart walked the path without guidance. They both knew it well, etched in their minds, as if carved into stone. It was the road leading north to Bloodmyst, and her destination lie west of were the path forked, and was well known to many, but avoided by most. It lie near the shore, the northern isle a stone throw from the "village". She arrived as the sun broke the horizon, village as still as a crypt.
The buildings were built in a style resembling Mongolian yurts, but made of earth, simple in construction, but sturdy and peaceful in their looks. The all but one were the same in size, equal to a small human house. There were seven in all, arranged in a crescent moon shape, with the largest building looked to be a communal building, were the inhabitants shared food, stories, and cold nights. A totem pole stood in the center of the camp, with a fire at the base. The fire was feed by four logs into a center fire pit, each log matching a point on a compass, and such a fire burned for days without much maintenance. A troll tended the fire, wearing nothing but a loincloth, tribal tattoos angry in the low light, and blood red. He had hair of equal color, up in a mohawk, a scar across his blind left eye, and tusks at least a foot long, sticking straight out. He looked up, squinting at her, and sniffed the air. He turned to one of the huts, calling out, "Turran! Der be a stranga out here, mon. She don't look familya, but she smell like ya, mon!"
There was grumbling from the hut and the cloth that covered the door frame was swept aside. A tall, imposing Broken Draenei stepped, as bare covered as the troll, with a bed sheet in place of the loincloth.
"A'yora, is that you?" He shouted, covering his eyes and looking out at her.
"It is, uncle!" She lept down off of Stoneheart, barreling down the hill and into his arms, lifting him off his feet and knocking the wind out of him with a, "oomph!"
He beamed up at his giant niece, and managed to squeak out, "I need to breathe, little one!"
She let him down, and he continued. "You're early, my dear. We weren't expecting you till tomorrow. Go, make yourself at home in the main hall. I need to rouse the others, and introduce you to my, ummm…"
He pause a moment, searching for a proper word, "Well, family, I guess."
He blushed as he spoke, obviously nervous about how she'd react. "Anyway, let me get dressed, dear."
He quickly moved back into the hut, shutting the steel door, a 'click', audible yet muffled as it was lock. The door cloth settled over the door, and she turned to see the troll staring into her soul, a few feet closer than before.
"Who you be? I neva seen ya round 'ere, mon. How ya be knowing Turran?"
She looked him over, curious as to where her uncle found this troll, and answered, "I'm Ayora Shieldfist. Turran is my uncle, and my only living relative. He's all I have left."
The troll gave a toothy grin, visibly calming down. "I be Vil'ta Shadoweyes. I know Turran through me best friend Isa'kor. She be studying wit 'em. Welcome to de family, mon!"
He suddenly rushed close, rearing to his full height and embracing her. Even standing tall, he only came to her chest. She looked down, confused but smiling, and gingerly hugged back. "Family?" she asked.
He stepped back, gesturing to her to follow, replying "Ya mon! We be our own little clan 'ere."
"Who is all here?" She inquired.
"We got Isa'kor, de little human, though she don't use it much, Turran, me, Dandur Thunderheart, a tauren, and sometimes we get vistors, like Thor and Danielle."
"Quiet the clan. Why are there six huts though?"
"One be mine, one be Isa'kor's, one Turran and Dandur share, one be for guests, and da other two be for our tings, like fishin poles an armor an such."
They entered the hall, and Vil'ta pointed to the back right corner, "Put your tings dere mon. We set up your hut later, mon."
"When will I meet the others?"
"When dey wake up for breakfast, mon." He grinned, and continued, "I be making hyena sausages and crocilisk eggs. It be me famous recipe!"
She didn't know if that was a good thing or not, and sat, hoping breakfast wouldn't bite her back.
Isa'kor awoke suddenly, grabbing for her knife, before realizing it was only a dream. She looked around, slowly having her wits return, and took a deep breath through her nose. She smelled breakfast, and her stomach rumbled audibly. Though Spartan compared to her mountain home, her gigantic bed, which took up much of the space, piled high with blankets, was as comfortable as a cloud.
Instead of her usual exercise routine, she tossed on a simple robe, and headed for the main hall. She brushed aside the cloth door, and noticed what appeared to be a metal mountain. Vil'ta was chatting up this giant, and serving her his food of questionable origin. She appeared to be a draenei, though larger than any she had ever met.
Their eyes met, and her heart started fluttering, and she must have visibly blushed, because the draenei winked at her. She didn't know why, but she had seemed to be attracted to the newcomer. Feeling embarrassed, she turned to leave, and ran straight into Dandur, Turran's love. Dandur was an average Tauren, with a woody-brown coloring to him, and a smile as bright as the dawn. Turran came up beside him, and asked, "Why the rush, little one? Come meet my niece."
She hide behind Turran as they made for the table, and the draenei noticed that she was shy. "Who's your timid friend, uncle?"
Turran moved Isa'kor in front of him, and introduced her. "This is Isa'kor Battleheart, a human warrior of 18 years, seeking to learn of shamanism and to connect to her animal side, in hopes of becoming a primal."
"Truly?" A'yora looked down at her with a new-found awe, "You are brave to walk such a path, dear. I'm A'yora Shieldfist, a warrior myself, of over 25,000 years."
Isa'kor twiddled with her hands, nervous as a fawn, and managed to squeak out, "A pleasure to meet you."
"You're so cute when you're shy," A'yora said as she winked down at her.
"She's not too confident around newcomers, but she'll warm up to you." Dandur assured her.
A'yora looked down at Isa'kor, and said, "I'd like to see how well you handle yourself, Isa'kor. Meet me at noon by the river, and we'll have a friendly sparing match."
Isa'kor, a little more bravely, said, "Sure."
She then ran back to her hut, determined to prove to this beautiful giant that she was as good as any warrior, if not better. Time couldn't pass fast enough, she thought, as her heart pounded out a war dance. She set to her donning her armor, and waited.
A/N- Let me know if this feels too rushed. I wrote this awhile ago and only just now am getting around to uploading it.