Chapter 3

The sounds of the tavern filled the air and threatened to suppress conversation. A year and a half ago, Ozara had entered a similar environment and had immediately run for the ddoor while clutching her sensitive ears. She had now grown used to this kind of atmosphere and could tune out most of the clamor so she could focus on who she was speaking to. The smell of spilled beer and ale still caused her to wrinkle her nose, but she knew she'd never get used to that.

"So where we you for those six months?" Her friend Avicator asked her.

She looked up at him. The first time he had come to a guild meeting, She had thought a demon had entered the tavern. His blue skin appeared darker in the dim light of the tavern in the park of Stormwind city. To anyone looking at him, He appeared to be a serious Paladin and not one who could make somebody laugh at the drop of a hat. He'd reached training level 80 before she had and he'd started training after she had. She was only at training level 68, but then she had always leveled slow.

She shrugged, "I had to do some things and think some things over."

Jason, her pet Cat, growled under the table, 'If you father thinks that he can do that to you…'

"Calm down, Jason," she reached under the table and scratched him behind the ear.

Avicator grinned at her, "What did he say?"

"It has to do with where I went," She said, "He's still angry at me for it."

"Where did you go and what happened? Something has been bothering you since you got back."

"I just need to get back to questing and get my mind off of things," She leaned back in her chair.

"You need to find that gnome is what I think you need to do."

"I wrote him a couple of times, but he doesn't care about me," She looked down at her glass of moonberry juice, "Not the way that I want him to."

"Then maybe you should…" He looked beyond her towards the door, "Oh great…It's that rogue Kelvar. Remember him? The one you went out with?"

She scowled, "Yeah. Jerk number two."

Then silence filled the tavern and she frowned as she turned around to look towards the doorway. Kelvar stood in one of the two doorways that entered the large main room. He was grinning which she knew from experience wasn't a good sign. Jason moved out from under the table, 'I smell trouble.'

In his right hand he was holding up a little low level gnome, a warlock by the looks of his garb. The warlock was fighting him by twisting this way and that, but Kelvar had a firm grip on the back of his robe. The poor gnome was like a cat held by the scruff of his neck. Anger flared inside of her at the sight and her hand reach for her helmet laying on the table.

"My fellow scoundrels!" Kelvar shouted, "Are you ready for a night of fun?"

She picked up her helm and glanced at Avicator, "Follow me once I leave."

He nodded as he reached for his own helmet. Jason glanced up at her, 'And me?'

'Meet me outside the city gates,' She spoke to him mind to mind.

He growled in delight and turned invisible. She felt him move past her as she fastened on her helmet. She'd never bested a rogue, but this time she wouldn't be alone. Ozara stood up and faced Kelvar, "Fun? Since when is messing with the lowbies fun?"

He glanced at her, "Ozara? What a surprise to find you here."

She felt a burst of heat on her cheeks. He'd somehow known she was here and had planned this, "What do you want, rogue? Why drag some poor lowbie into this?"

His eyes narrowed, "I want to settle a few things with you."

"Fine. Release that warlock and let's settle them outside of the city gates."

"The warlock gets to come along and see me defeat an incompetent huntard," He turned invisible and she swore under her breath.

She turned to Avicator, "Outside the city gate in 3 minutes."

He nodded, "Be careful, Ozzie."

She turned and raced for the door. Why had Kelvar gone out of his way to find a low level trainee to torment her?

She raced out the door and outside to where her swift MistSaber was waiting on her. The great War Cat turned it's head and she climbed into the saddle. Unlike her hunter pets, She couldn't mindspeak with this beast. It was only the bond between hunter and pet that enable it, "C'mon, Misty. We've got a Rogue to deal with."

Her mount took off at full speed and she placed her hands where she could direct him which way to go. Night Elf's didn't use reins, but their mounts were taught to change direction at the slightest touch. She leaned down low over the beast and bit her lower lip. What was Kelvar up to? He was only at training level 65 and she had learned a few tricks to try on a rogue. Was he still bitter about her breaking up with him? Didn't he understand thagt she could be with some rotten scoundrel like him?

She soon made it through the trade section of the city and was racing to the city gates. As she neared them, She realized something that had been hovering in her mind. The gnome had looked a lot like Notouchme. Her mind raced through conversations that she'd had with Kelvar and her breath caught in her throat. It couldn't be…could it? He hadn't somehow found her friend and…

"Faster, Misty!" She urged the mount to go faster.

The flew around and out of the city gate. The landscape of Elwynn forest appeared and she slowed her mount down. Near the gate was a large tree and hanging from one of it's branches was Notouchme. He was bound around the waist and kicking in mid air. He was gagged son that he couldn't talk.

She dismounted and immediately cast the flare spell. Kelvar appeared a few feet from her and before she could get her bow, He lunged at her. Ozara dodged to the side, 'Jason!'

As The rogue turned, Her cat barreled into view from the base of the tree and leaped at him. Kelvar dodge to the side and struck at him with his daggers. A streak of blood appeared along Jason's flank and She winced as she readied her bow, "What do you mean by all of this Kelvar?"

He spun around and saw the arrow pointed at his heart, "Quite a bit actually."

"How'd you find the gnome?"

Instead of answering, He lunged at her and she fired her bow. His daggers moved like lighting and deflected the arrow as it reached him. She reached for her swords, but he was too fast. His body slammed her to the ground and he leered down at her, "Do you realize how much disgrace you've brought to me?"

"For what? Breaking your nonexistent heart?" She glanced beyond him towards Jason.

His dagger appeared and pressed against her throat, "Call of the pet."

Her eyes narrowed, 'Jason, stay back.'

'But…'

'I know,' She looked up at the rogue, "He's called off."

"Good," He moved slightly and she realized his crouch was right under her knee, "I going to make you regret that day so much."

She sneered at him, "I don't think so."

Her knee came quickly up and struck something soft. He cursed as he crumpled up into a ball. She scrambled to her feet and drew both of her swords, "I'm not the same person you dated."

He glared at her, "Wench! I'll find everyone you care about and make you regret this!"

"You're supposed to be training to be a hero for the alliance! Not some traitor!"

He staggered to his feet, "I trained to get the skills to serve another master."

She fell into a defensive stance, "Another master? Who are you talking about?"

The grin that appeared on his face sent a chill down her spine, "Wouldn't you like to know…"

He threw his dagger at her and she dived out of it's path. Ozara rolled to her feet, but he was there. His booted foot came right at her face and she brought her arm up to block it. Pain flared from his kick and it was hard enough that she heard a crack in her arm. She crumpled to the ground as pain burned through her arm, "Dirty, stinking rogue!"

That earned her a sharp kick in the side. She suppressed the tears that threatened to fall as he kicked her again and again.

"Ozara!"

Avicator! Finally!

Kelvar paused in his kicking and she raised her head in time to see her Paladin friend racing towards them in righteous fury. The rogue stared and glanced down at her with a sneer, "A Paladin? And you called me a rogue?!"

She saw the kick coming towards her face and braced herself for the blow. The kick never came as Avicator reached them. He bashed his shield into Kelvar's and sent the rogue sprawling. Then hit him under the chin with his mailed fist. The rogue went limp and the paladin turned and looked down at her, "Next time let me go after your rogues for you."

She grinned up at him, "Deal. Can you cut the Gnome down for me?"

"After I heal you," He started waving his hands and golden light formed between them, "You really need to learn how to fight that class you know."

Jason limped over to her and nuzzled her face, 'Don't ever make me stop fighting when you're in trouble again.'

She grinned at him¸ 'Deal.'

Avi's healing power washed over her and she felt her bones knitting back together. He clenched her teeth together as pain flared for a brief moment and then disappeared. She slowly sat up and moved her arm gingerly. No pain flared and she sighed with relief, "Thanks."

The Paladin was already moving over to the tree where Notouchme was hanging, "Don't mention it. It is my duty as a Paladin of the light to heal idiots like you."

She laughed, "And it's is my duty as a hunter to protect stupid tanks like you."

He laughed as he drew his sword and cut down the gnome. He caught him before he struck the ground and quickly undid the gag in Noto's mouth, "How'd a little lobie get mixed up in this?"

Notouchme glared at the unconscious rogue, "By telling me that he wanted to help me find Ozara."

"Notouchme…" Ozara shook her head, "How many times did you tell me not to trust rogues?"

Avicator frowned as he untied the gnome's bindings, "You two know each other?"

"Meet the gnome who broke my heart and my best friend," She grinned at them, "Notouchme, This is my friend Avicator. Avi, This is Noto."

The paladin dropped the ropes that had bound Noto, "So do you always get into this much trouble?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I had that rogue just where I wanted him before the two of you came along," His high pitched gnomish laughter rang out and he flexed at them, "I am the mighty warlock Notouchme! See my power!"

He pointed a finger at a small rabbit hopping past and released a shadow bolt at it. The rabbit died instantly. Ozara grinned at him, "Ok, Now try that on some of the Northrend animals."

"They are not worth my time to deal with," He crossed his arms and jumped down from Avi's arms, "I shall go and deal with some the defies in these woods instead."

"So Kelvar picked you up in Dun morough and brought you all the way to stormwind?"

"No. He picked me up in the dwarven district," Notouchme frowned, "I was at the tavern there because Notouchy told me he had found you and sent me a letter to meet him there."

She frowned at him, "I haven't seen Notouchy or Tabby for at least six months."

"What? You mean that rogue forged a letter from my brother?" He glared at Kelvar, "I should send you to the storm peaks."

Ozara rose to her feet, "I think it is time to get a few answers for him."

Avicator moved over and picked up Kelvar, "I believe I know a way to do that safely. Do you have any rope?"

"Yes, Let me get it out of my saddlebags."

In a short time, The had the rogue tied to the tree and were standing around him. Notouchme had summoned a imp to help them if they needed it. How much a level 10 imp would be? she wasn't sure, but she didn't make him dismiss the little fiend. Avi cast a healing spell on the rogue and Kelvar groaned as he opened his eyes.

He stared at them and his hands moved to vain to where he had secret weapons. Ozara had remembered all of his hiding places, "Don't bother. We found all of your knives."

She pointed to a pile of daggers near Notouchme which the pile was ironically waist high on the gnome. Kelvar glared at her, "You won't win, Huntard! My master will make sure of that!"

"I don't know why you're worried about some mediocre hunter like me anyway," She crossed her arms, "At the rate that I level and the gear that I've got, Nobody has anything to worry about."

"My master can see what you and your guild will become."

She laughed, "My guild? I'm the only one in my guild!"

"The guild that I speak of is not the one you belong to now, but the one you will join."

"Like any guild will have me. I even got kicked out of Avi's guild," She rolled her eyes and looked at him, "Listen. Forget about me and guilds. I'm a loner. Where are Notouchy and Tabby?"

He grinned at her, "Didn't I say I would make those close to you suffer?"

"Where are they?"

"In service in Northrend. Make it there and you'll discover their fate," He started laughing and the laughter chilled her blood.

She turned to Avi, "Knock him back out."

"But…"

"We're not going to get anything else from him," She wrapped her arms around herself, "knock him out. Maybe somebody will have pity on him and untie him."

She turned and walked back towards Misty. What had happened to Notouchy and Tabby? What did Kelvar mean about her joining some guild and making a difference? Nobody wanted her along. She was just what he had called her. A huntard. Maybe she should've listened to her parents and become a Priest.

"Ozara?"

She stopped and looked down. Notouchme was standing next to her and looking up at her with his large eyes. She looked back up at the sky, "What?"

"You became a hunter."

"Not a very good one," She looked back down at him, "I'll head to Northrend and find your family, Noto."

"What that rogue said…You don't believe him."

"why should I? I'm not a good hunter."

Jason moved up beside her, 'I think you are.'

She glanced at the cat, "What pet's think doesn't count. Half my gear is caster gear and I've never even gone into a dungeon without some fully trained class there to get me through."

Notouchme crossed his arms, "You can become what he said."

"How? I don't want to join a guild. I've been kicked out of one and the other I got stuck with and I'm the only member."

Avicat walked up and looked at her, "Don't worry about what that rotten Rogue said. We need to go to Northrend and find those friends of yours."

She grinned at her friends, "I'll go by myself. Sorry, Avi, but Paladins stand out too much. We hunters are pretty common."

Notuchme crossed his arms, "I'm coming too!"

"You can't. You'd get squished in about two seconds."

"But they're my family."

Avicator knelt down next to him, "Then what you need to do is train as hard as you can to get fully trained and join her there."

Ozara looked down at him, "I'll work on becoming a better hunter if you work on getting trained."

The gnome grinned up at her, "Fine. But you are not allowed in any shape or form to get killed. You understand?"

Her heart crept into her throat, "And why is that?"

"Because you're my friend."

She gave him a tight smile and turned away as tears threatened to fill her eyes. A friend. Nothing more, "I'll head to stormwind harbor now. See you later."

"Wait!"

She paused, "Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you. It's about your father."

She turned and looked down at him, "I have no Father."

He waved this away as if it were some minor detail, "I know. He told me all about that situation," He looked up at her, "He got rid of Biglug."

She froze, "He did what?"

"He had a mage send him to some place called sholazar basin."

The fire of anger burned inside of her as her eyes narrowed. He had gotten rid of one of her most prized possessions. One of the reason that she had wanted to be a hunter. Her hands clenched into fists and uncharacteristic elfish anger burned through her, "I'll deal with this."

Jason growled at her side, 'And I will help with that.'

She grinned down at him, 'You can count on that.'

Notouchme looked up at her, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to Stormwind harbor is what I'm going to do," She turned towards Misty, "First Darnassus and then northrend."

"I'm going with you to darnassuss. I can go there."

Jason yawned and glanced up at her, 'If you don't let that gnome come along, He'll come to Darn anyway.'

'But…'

'Just let him tag along. I'll make sure he doesn't get into trouble.'

She sighed and looked at Noto, "Fine. Come on."

"WooHoo!" He went bouncing towards Stormwind.

Ozara turned and looked at Avicator, "What have I gotten myself into?"

"What you usually get into," He grinned at her, "Lots of what you call fun."