Worgen Have Bad Breath [CH 2]
THE COBBLESTONE PATHWAY continued past a few farming fields before winding into the forest. Rii was still nervous, but he wouldn't dare show it, for fear of being taunted by his step brother.
"I'll never haveta be scared of the forest once I start my lessons," Pierre said with a triumphant look on his face.
He had just recently been found to have the magical gift, and he was soon to be sent to Stormwind to apprentice as a mage.
"Although mum says I'll havta learn to talk more proper"
He laughed and shoved his cropped, scarlet hair out of his face. had always said Pierre had his father's haircolour, and Rii had to admit he had seen very few others with hair as red as his.
Maybe only Humans with red hair can use magic, he thought, although he dismissed it as quickly as he had thought of it.
What a stupid idea. The colour of you hair isn't going to change how you can wield magic.
He realised Pierre's brown eyes were focused on him, and he knew what he was waiting for.
He expected him to be excited for him, and congratulate him for it, but all Rii could do was smile weakly and look away.
He was jealous of his brother, since he himself was found to have no magical talent. All high elves have a natural affinity with magic, even half-elves, or at least their supposed to. He had never met another of elven blood who couldn'tuse magic, and was beginning to think he was the only one. With age, he had become more thankful for the absence of addiction in him, but he still felt isolated from his kind.
"Don't worry, I'll still come back after!" Pierre exclaimed, assuming Rii was upset over him leaving for Stormwind, "Then we can go out adventuring together!" his eyes lit up with excitement.
Rii nodded, trying to seem enthusiastic, and looked away again. His eyes settled on the grave yard in the distance and he shivered.
"Do you think there's any ghosts in there?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly.
Pierre looked in the direction he was focused on.
"Probably," he said loudly, and with Rii giving him a very unsettled look, he added, "They don't scare me, though."
Pierre's eyes wandered, then he perked up.
"Hey, look!" He exclaimed, pointing, "There's a path that goes around the graveyard…"
Rii looked at the graveyard again, and sure enough, there was a small dirt pathway winding around the graveyard, disappearing behind the rocky slope beyond.
Pierre's eyes glinted.
"Let's go."
He boldly headed towards the graveyard.
"But, Pierre… Maybe we should go back..." Rii said, eyeing the graveyard nervously.
"Why're you bein such a baby today?" Pierre answered, annoyed.
He paused. "Are all elves cowards?"
Rii glared at him and Pierre instantly knew that he'd gone too far.
"Well…" Pierre faltered.
Rii straightened up and trotted toward the pathway. He looked back at Pierre.
"Then let's go," Rii said, matching Pierre's tone.
Pierre shrugged and followed behind.
Once Rii reached the rocky slope, he abandoned the pathway and began to climb. He had already almost reached the plateau, but Pierre was still barely halfway up the slope.
"What's wrong, human," he said mockingly, and flashed him a wicked grin. " Too steep for you?"
Pierre lobbed a rock at him, and Rii dodged it swiftly. "Hey! That could have hit me."
"Good..." Pierre huffed, breathing heavily from the climb. Rii grinned and helped his brother onto the plateau.
Rii looked out at the small valley to see where the dirt pathway led to. "I guess it just leads to an old mine or something…" He mumbled, taking in the scene below him.
Pierre grinned at him. "Just an old mine?"
Rii frowned, and opened his mouth to remind him about what horrendous monsters could possibly make an abandoned mine their home, but realising Pierre wasn't likely to listen, he closed it again.
Pierre clambered down the slope toward the mine, and he followed, biting his lip nervously. His instincts were telling him to go back, but he ignored them, not wanting to be called a coward again. He nervously scanned the trees and bushes as they passed them.
"See?!? There's nothin out here. It's all just stories to keep us close," Pierre shook his head, " I can't believe I listened."
Rii's ears perked up a little. Maybe his brother was right.
A piercing howl echoed through the valley and caused both of them to stop dead in their tracks. They were both silent, until Pierre finally spoke up.
"They're just wolves," he said reassuringly, although he was starting to look nervous.
"Wolves are still dangerous in packs," Rii mumbled, shivering. He could hear the alarm bells going off in his head. It wasn't right here, it was so quiet. He suddenly didn't care if Pierre called him a coward again.
"Pierre I think we should go."
He gave Rii a troubled look, then it changed to a sneer.
"You can leave scaredy-elf."
Rii ignored the insult. He knew how stubborn he could get, but he needed to get through to him how much danger they could be in.
"I'm not leaving you here by yourself."
Pierre was silent.
"And you know what else howls?" Rii continued.
Pierre opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by a malicious snarl. Rii turned his head to see what made the noise, his ears wilting in fear. There, standing atop the slope they had just stumbled down not barely a minute ago, were two of the most vicious wolfen creatures he had even seen.
They continued to sneer in glee at the two boys.
Pierre finally had the courage to speak.
"...Worgen"
"I believe we have a handle on the undead," Cptn. Helvas began, "But the Worgen are starting to get out of control. We think they might be spreading."
Daniel and Captain Grange had sat down in the tavern below the inn to discuss Duskwood and its surfacing problems. Some of the other townsfolk had come into the Tavern and began to reminisce of the days when Duskwood had not been so plagued. The hearth crackled, and the warming glow sent across the room could have fooled any traveler of the town's true personality. He cast his eyes downward at his mug, then continued, "You should speak to Commander Ebonlock. She can give you reports from all the units."
Daniel nodded. "I'll make sure to," he paused for a moment, "The Worgen… they haven't attacked the town, have they?"
The captain shook his head.
"No, not yet, but we've lost many guards on the pathways, and a few innocents as well," The captain sighed.
"Not even the main pathways are safe anymore."
Suddenly, , the innkeeper, rushed into the tavern. Her expression was laced with worry as she frantically looked around and spotted the captain.
"Captain!" she shouted, then her voice quieted as she reached the table, "Rii and Pierre are missing! I've looked everywhere and asked everyone…" She trailed off, but her small frame still shook with worry and fear.
"One of the other guards told me he saw two figures going into the forest," she continued, her voice choked.
"The forest? Why would they go in there? We've always warned them against that,"
Captain Grange replied, attempting to calm the woman down.
"I…I don't know…" she answered, putting her face in her hands.
The captain stood up and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you sure you've looked everywhere?" he asked her, beginning to look worried himself.
She nodded, her face still in her hands.
"Here, have a seat," he said offering his chair, " I'll speak with the Commander…. My apologies, Sir Daniel."
He gave the paladin a tight smile.
"I understand," He replied, giving a slight nod. Captain Grange turned and hurriedly made his way to the exit.
Daniel looked at . She had taken her hands away from her face and they now lay in her lap, but she still looked distraught.
"I'm sure they haven't strayed far," he said to her, " Not with the dangers. They would know better."
Although, the elfboy, Rii, didn't seem too bright, He thought. Hopefully the other one is a little sharper.
Of course he didn't say this aloud. He instead continued with, "We'll find them," and gave her a reassuring smile.
She smiled back weakly.
"Thank you, Paladin. You give hope to all our people." Her eyes sparkled with admiration.
Daniel was taken aback. He knew this was the Lords of Stormwind's intentions, for him to spread hope and raise moral. He just never thought it would really work.
"Hopefully I can live up to that."
"I can't spare any watchers to look for them. We can't afford to lose anyone else," the commander replied, "I'm sure they're around the town."
"But Althea-" Helvas began.
"Please refer to me as 'Commander Ebonlocke' when we're discussing important matters."
The Commander didn't seem angry, but just slightly annoyed.
"As I've asked you many times before, Captain. But please continue." She tipped her head forward.
"They're young... Commander." He responded, "What if they have wandered into the forest?"
"And if they have?" Commander Ebonlocke raised an eyebrow.
"They could be in danger."
"And if they haven't, which they most likely have not, what about the men and women who risked their lives to look?"
Captain Grange was silent. He was expecting this sort of answer. He knew full well he was letting his emotions get in the way, but he cared deeply for the Trelaynes. The innkeeper's husband had been one of his closest friends, after all. That is, before he had signed up for the Stormwind recruitment and been shipped off to the Outlands. He had taken it as his responsibility to protect his family in his absence. It didn't help in the least that both Rii and Pierre (especially together) were the most troublesome of all the boys in their small town.
The commander's expression softened.
"I'm not trying to be cold, Captain," she continued. "But we just can't risk anymore lives. They have probably gotten up to trouble in the town somewhere. And if they have gone into the forest..." she trailed off, giving the captain a sympathetic look.
"I doubt they're coming back."
Helvas took in her words, then, taking a breath, responded.
"Then I'll look. With none of the other men."
The commander looked at him sharply.
"That is unwise, Captain. Wandering the pathways by yourself…"
"He won't be by himself."
Both Althea and Helvas turned. It was Daniel who had spoken. He turned to the captain.
" had to attend to another matter, so I decided to come out and discuss this with the Commander."
He then turned to the Commander.
"I'll help him search for the two boys. I am thankful to Captain Grange and the innkeeper for their hospitality." The paladin glanced over at Helvas, "I think it's time I earned my stay."
The Commander raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.
"I can't stop you. But for the light, please be careful. We don't need to lose anyone else."
"Don't make any sudden moves," Rii said quietly, "If we run or panic, they'll attack."
Pierre didn't respond. Even in his rising panic, Rii was surprised. He was expecting a snide remark about not being stupid, and that he knew how to handle it. He turned his head slowly to catch a glimpse of Pierre. He saw how pale he had gone, and was gripped by overwhelming fear. Pierre wasn't prepared for this.
He took slow breaths to help calm himself so he could think more clearly, as the beasts stalked closer, growling and bearing their teeth.
It was up to him.
His eyes darted back and forth between the two worgen.
If they ran, they would catch them.
They couldn't call for help, no one would hear them. And if they did, they wouldn't arrive in time.
Hiding wasn't an option, they had already been seen.
He struggled to come up with a solution. Soon the beasts would be surrounding them, and any hope of escaping would vanish.
Maybe distracting them… like throwing a rock or something… No, they are too smart for that.
His ears wilted in fear, until they were almost horizontal, as each possibility was scratched out of his mind. He looked again at Pierre, who hadn't moved.
There had to be something… his eyes caught the flash from his belt. Of course! He never took off his sword. Hope swelled inside him, then fell just as quickly.
He doubted he was able to kill even one Worgen, never mind two at once. He hadn't faced a true foe in over 5 years. His fingers rested nervously on the hilt, unable to decide.
Both the worgen had reached them. They were growling gleefully as they paced back and forth, taking in their fear. As one approached him, he could see the saliva dripping from it's mouth, the idea of a kill making it excited.
He heard Pierre whimper softly, and at that moment he decided.
Rii drew his sword, startling the creatures. The one directly in front of him snarled hatefully as it realised its plaything had turned into a threat.
His heart was thumping, and he briefly recalled when he had last felt this terrified.
The last time I felt like this was…
He didn't have time to finish the thought, because in that instant, the worgen lunged at him.
Faster that he could think, he had dodged the worgen's claws, and the beast drew back in shock. He brought his sword around in a spin, aiming for the worgen's throat.
Feeling the sword connect, the beast howled, but was cut short, for its throat had been torn open. It shuttered, and slumped to the ground, blood pooling quickly around it.
Rii was stunned from his own ability, although in the back of his mind he recalled learning to handle a sword that way in Silvermoon.
The second worgen took advantage of his shock and pounced, knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop his sword. Its claws connected with his chest, and slit a set of large, deep gashes. Rii gasped and ground his teeth in pain. The worgen bore down on him and went straight for his throat, realising the elfboy was too much of a threat to torture slowly. Rii's eyes widened and for a second, the image of the outrunner and the gargoyle flashed in his mind. He gritted his teeth in determination and wrapped his hands around the beasts neck, holding it's jaws from his throat. The worgen snarled angrily, gnashing it's teeth. He knew he couldn't match the beast's strength forever, and he could already feel the worgen overwhelming him. "Pierre!" He called out blindly to his brother, " Do... something!"
This seemed to snap Pierre out of the trance he was in. He frantically began to search the ground around him for something to use. His eyes fell on a large stick.
"Good enough!" He muttered to himself, picking up the stick.
The worgen raised its twisted arm above its head, claws flexed. Rii's eyes darted back and forth between the beast's clawed hand and it's fanged, gaping mouth, knowing all in an instant he was done, one way or another.
Pierre swung the large stick, and it connected with the beast's side. For a brief moment, it turned from Rii and roared hatefully at Pierre. Rii took this moment to grab for his sword.
The worgen realised instantly what he was doing and lunged for his throat again, determined to kill him before he had the sword ready. Rii had the sword in his hand, and with a rush of speed he never knew he had, he drew it back and ran it though the worgen's gaping mouth.
It's snarl turned into a gurgle, and the beast shuddered and fell still.
'Rii!" Pierre yelled, dropping the stick and rushing to drag him out from underneath the worgen's body.
He tried to help him stand up, but Rii didn't seem to have the strength, so he helped him to a nearby rock to sit on.
"You...You killed both of them!' Pierre exclaimed, gawking, " How did you…?"
Rii was barely listening. He was shaking violently, and felt lightheaded, and after glancing down at his chest, he realised why. The gashes left from the worgen's claws were bleeding profusely, and he could see the white of bone in some spots. He began to sway back and forth, feeling himself lose consciousness.
"Rii... Captain Grange and someone..."
He looked up at Pierre, his words fading in and out. He saw he was pointing, but didn't have the strength to turn and look.
Then there was a blinding light, and looking back down at his chest, he noticed the wounds had been healed. They were not completely gone, far from it, but they had stopped bleeding for the most part, and he could no longer see bone.
But how can that be? He thought, confused. He looked up to see Captain Grange trying to get his attention.
"...ii! Rii! Can you…"
The edges of his vision turned black, and he lost consciousness.
