Chapter ten: Raptor riding
The trolls feasted throughout the night. At some point she lost track of how much mugs of the strange smelling brew she had after Vim had come to collect her. Hazajin had been out of sight doing other things the rest of the night.
When Denaestra woke up the next morning it was already warm, even though the sun had just started to show itself. Yesterday night still boomed in her head. As she was not used to drinking that much at all the headache was painful.
She vaguely remembered Vim who had come to drag her into the festivity. Even though the eyes set on her were slightly curious and disapproving she thought. Then there had been Jazah. The troll female had dragged her into performing the boat scene when they first met and she was vomiting. It made the whole crowd laugh as Jazah managed to pull them into the moment that she was hit by "her elf" as she visualized her climbed on the table and hurt herself while trying to hit Jazah against the cheek. It was cheerful, even for Denaestra.
How she eventually ended up in the hut she could not quit remember. She carefully rubbed the sides of her head, hoping her headache would settle.
The village seemed quiet this early except for some of the Sen'Jin Watchers who were obviously on their duty. Denaestra stretched her soar limbs. The sleeping mat was not that great to sleep on. She preferred a bed really. The feeling of being closely watched by some of the Sin'Jen Watchers not to her liking. But by now probably everybody knew she belonged to the group of Hazajin and his hunters. Still it was understandable they would take caution with her though. They would do in Silvermoon.
The houses and huts were built in shaped she had not seen before. They looked intriguing though.
A smile played on her lips when she noted they were close to the sea. She had only read about the sea, never seen it before. Decided to take a closer look her thoughts were distracted. Finding something more fascinating when stumbling upon the raptor hide out.
There were a couple of them out in a fenced part; these were mostly orange and purple looking specimens. Strangely they did not seem as aggressive as the ones they were guiding yesterday. Tough she thought it wise to reserve a safe distance to look at them. If she would not come too close they would not feel she was nervous. Yet from this point she had a nice view.
"Morning dere girly," the owner of the unmistakable troll accent appeared from behind the red raptor tied to the fence. She nodded shyly and smiled.
The troll was busy with the large red specimen that stood at ease as he inspected the saddle he laid on the back of the creature. After doing that he inspecting its talons and made sure the reins were properly in place. The raptor shrieked loudly when the troll leaned against it, taking a sudden step to the side when he fastened the belt to keep the saddle in place with a quick move.
"Easy," the troll cooed at the raptor. Denaestra watching them. Intriguing as she found the troll and the way the raptor responded to his soothing tone. The troll looked over his shoulder, smirking at her.
"Ya ever ridden one?" the troll asked when he completely calmed the animal. Denaestra stared, shaking her head. "Come," the troll motioned her to come over. Denaestra wanted to politely say no thank you, but the troll was shaking his head as he smirked. His face was different from Hazajins the noted when she realized he would not take no for an answer.
"Basic rules for breeding, get tah know ya specimen," he said to her with a smirk when she dared come as close as possible. She stared at him, he grinned wickedly at her surprise.
"Zjolnir," he introduced himself, tapping the side of his head as a greeting. "Hazajin been tellin me some interesting fact bout his new member," Zjolnir said as he walked around the raptor again to examine for a last check up. "He did?" she asked, wondering whatever Hazajin could have said about her. The troll smirked again, taking the reins from the fence.
"He be tellin me ya been breeding dem birds ya elves ride," he smirked when she looked questioning. She wondered if there was more he had though he needed to inform others about as she obviously been the question between the two of them. "Ya been at it long?" he eyed her. She appeared very young to him, but blood elf age was something not easily guessed. To him they sometimes seemed to look like children even when they already reached their adulthood.
"So tell meh, wat ya been doing now ya not breeding obviously," he asked casually, leaning on the saddle of the red raptor. The animal allowed it. Leaving Denaestra uncomfortable with the knowledge he seemed to know a lot about her.
"I…I have been searching for more…challenge," she chose to tell him, sounding a bit unsteady. Zjolnir smirked; Hazajin sure had picked a mystery again. "So ya be joinin da group for some adventure. Suppose it will be for ya den," he replied with a gleam in his eyes as he watched her force a nervous smile.
"Now den girly," he said, patting the saddle of the raptor:"Ready for some action?" Zjolnir said to her, beckoning her over. She wanted to say something but he cocked his head as his grin spread across his face, leaving her silent. "Ya scared?" he raised his brow, snickering. "I..I am not!" she recovered herself as she frowned angrily. "Good, Haz been telling me ya had spunk," he said when she got on her feet and walked over. He pointed at creature, as he made her lay her hands on the side of the animal. The raptor turning its head, predator eyes locking with hers. She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins when it shrieked at her. Her hands stiffened as she stared into the eyes of the raptor.
"Behave Malin," Zjolnir told the red specimen, pulling the attention from the elf. "Now get up," he ordered her, giving her a push into the saddle. Before realizing she was already on top. The elf uncomfortable at the strange creature.
"Take da reins. If she be stubborn den let her run, she will stop at some point if she be bangin into a wall," Denaestra going rather pale with the thought. He said looking at the small female on the large raptor. "I…I..," but before she could say anything he slapped the side of the raptor which took off shrieking loudly in an angry tone, making speed. Denaestra on top of it, trying to hold the reins steady. Adrenaline rushing through her as she could not keep control of her emotions. Or the raptor.
"Make it stop!" she yelled in panic as the raptor passed Zjolnir again. "Use ya brain girly!" Zjolnir laughed out loud when she passed him again. Denaestra 's mind racing to find anything useful she had ever been taught when riding her mount. Hawkstriders were a fair deal easier for her since she was used to them. Her hands pulled at the reins without effort, the raptor only speeding up. As Zjolnir did not seem to help her stop the raptor she nearly panicked.
"Basic trainin girly! Everybody should know dis," the troll called after her. The red raptor increased speed as it felt her fear. Taking over the reins she felt she could not longer control where it was going. This was far from anything she had ever ridden before. The wobbly way from the strong raptor legs made her shake up and down in the saddle, nearly falling off.
Her mind to filled with panic to think straight. When the raptor stirred itself straight to the fence her heart skipped a beat. She could feel the raptor was running faster for the upcoming jump. Denaestra's mind racing in fear. She suddenly pulled one of the reins to the left with all her two hands she managed to make the raptor turns it head so it had to change its chosen path, Denaestra nearly grazing the fence with her leg. The raptor now turning into the direction she stirred it. Walking around in circles at an idiotic speed.
Zjolnir watching her rather unusual ways that seem to work as the red creature kept walking into smaller circles. The elf needing all her strength to keep the raptor from winning its position back and take over again. The animal shrieked loudly while it slowed down in speed. She nearly had it with its nose against the back of its own tail when it finally stopped. Sweat dripped down Denaestra's forehead as she blew out her breath.
"Very good," Zjolnir complimented her as he lazily walked over, taking the reins from her shaking hands. He patted the raptor on the neck. "I was tinking ya was about tah take a ride through Durotar with Malin," he smiled as he saw her whole being shake.
"Ya had mah elf ride a raptor? An ya did not warn me?" Jazah hung over the fence chewing something. "Instructions of Haz," Zjolnir smirked at Hazajins younger sister. "Bah," Jazah muttered as Zjolnir helped off the shaky elf.
"Not bad for da first time girly. But ya seem a bit edgy. Relax, be at ease. It will make ya less rusty in remembering wat ya have in ya head," he said pointing to the side of her head. She heard him talk, but it was all a bit blurry.
"Come an see me tomorrow again," he said to her. She only nodded, feeling everything still spin a little. Jazah pulling her by the arm.
"Now wit meh girly, ya need not walk up without breakfast," the troll female said wisely as she dragged Denaestra behind her to one of the campfires from last night.
.*.*.*.
Hazajins face seemed…satisfying and relaxed. She noticed immediately when she saw the rogue sitting near the campfire.
"How was ya ride?" he asked her, giving her half a smooth grin. She gave him a sharp look. Fully aware of the fact he had arranged the whole thing."Challenging," she said while Jazah gave her a bowl of something. He stared into the bowl. No idea what it was she saw drifting in the bowl she decided to eat it. Letting the taste fill her mouth. It actually tasted good.
"Zjolnir and Xar'Ti were pleased with da specimen we brough back. Dey asked us tah find more unique colored specimen of raptors. So take da rest of da day off tah relax an do wat ya want tomorrow we discuss were we take our next expedition," Hazajin told all of them. That sounded good to Denaestra as well, after her morning ride.
As Jazah picking up her herbs and bottles to see the village alchemist, Hazajins choice to spent his afternoon was different from the rest obviously. When Denaestra saw him walk over to the green haired Xar'Ti, who had leaned against a rock for a while, she knew enough to tell his face would probably show a satisfying expression for a long time.
Vim laughed when he noticed her curiosity. "They have been on and off ever since I knew them," he said with his low voice. "Why is she not joining your group then?" Denaestra asked. Vim shrugged, he did not know.
.*.*.*.
Denaestra was not sure how she would spend her afternoon. After watching the tauren take out several different types of leather and threat from a bag he had placed next to him she wondered what he was going to do with them. As he laid out a heavy leather vest that was not yet finished on a mat she watched him work for a while. Vim preparing his needles for worked through the heavy but supple looking leather.
"What exactly are you making?" she asked him after a while. Vim looked up, his brown eyes focusing on the elf in front of him. "I'm making the final finish on the leather vest. Depending on what kind of leather I have or can skin ofcourse. Heavy leather tents to be a bit difficult to properly cut," he explained. She could see the decorations he had started, amazed as it seemed so different from most of the leathers she seen in Silvermoon so far.
"Do you have a specialty?" he asked her, working his needle through another piece of leather. She was shaking her head, she had no professions at all. Vim cut a thread.
"Who made your vest?" he asked, pointing at the leather vest she wore. She smiled. "It was a present from the people in Grom'Gol Basecamp when I was stuck there after the zeppelin did not fly for a while. I helped out a little fixing dinner with their cook," she said. "It is well made, only your pants do not seem to match very well," he grinned looking at her outfit. She nodded, she knew. She would find something to replace them with if she could.
.*.*.*.
Leaving Vim to his leatherworking she decided to finally take that stroll along the beach. It looked inviting enough. "Ey girly," Hazajin waved at her when she passed him by. He sat in the shade of a large rock as his view were the coming and going of the water. It seemed a good place to spend an afternoon in with the dry heat around. The green haired Xar'Ti was nowhere to be seen. Denaestra wondered what happened to her.
"I tought ya was spendin ya afternoon relaxin?" he smiled, beckoned Denaestra to come and sit with him. She shrugged.
"I thought you were spending your afternoon with somebody else," she reflected the question. He laughed. "So wat ya been up tah?" he asked her, examining one of his long tusks. She seated herself next to him in the shade of the rock, looking at the rather strange abnormal sight coming from his mouth. No blood elf male had tusks. It seemed rather common to have either fangs or tusks when it came to trolls or orcs she had realized. Since both male and females seemed to have them.
"I thought I would take a look at the sea," she said as she looked at the sandy shore in front of them. He could tell from her body language she was more at ease.
"How's ya bum doin?" he joked. She colored a little red. "Sore," was the answer. He laughed out loud. "Ya be a strange girly," he said."Actually I am not a girl. I have reached my adulthood about thirty years ago," she said plainly. He eyed her up and down.
"Ya don look like any adult tah meh. Ya look like a girly tah me," he mentioned. "Thanks a lot," she said with a cynical undertone as he laughed again. "Ya welcome," he snickered. They watched a surf crawler walk across the beach, making haste. Denaestra looked at Hazajin who folded his arms lazily behind his neck as he closed his eyes.
"I wanted to thank you for returning my belongings," she suddenly reminded herself. He bothered to open one eye."Ya welcome…girly," he said, smirking.
Denaestra sat there for a while, hoping if more of Hazajin's kind were like him they perhaps would be less frightening then she would have thought.