Disclaimer: I have slain the great Bristleback Leader earlier in life, traveled to the Barrens where I and my Wind Serpent pet have slain many a great foe and done very many other things, but I still don't own Warcraft.

A/N: Here I am again. I tried to get this chapter out soon, I really did. But then my boyfriend went to Toronto for a week and I spent time with him before hand, and then I had a bit of writers block, and then I was working on some pixel art. Needless to say, I have all these excuses cause I was procrastinating.

To AzureDragoness, yes I know I'm very 'ebil.' Tee hee, but yes it is evil that I will eventually kill one of them off. I'm not saying who, and it won't be very soon but I will not really give any warning. Sorry. Shrinking away from death stare now. No smiting!

Crimson Reaper you are so fun sometimes. It's great that cliffies kill you because now you must have died more than ten times over! Wow, little ghosty! Anyhow, I did realize that too, Yawna sounds more like a druid than a hunter. But one of the toughest parts of accepting her Awareness is going to be accepting the fact that she can not ever become the full fledged hunter that her mother had wanted her to be. And that's sad. And poor Kat, she has it tough. And me starting troll x human? No way, really? I had no idea. It was a whim of mine…

So now, even though there doesn't seem to be a high demand….. Sorta… Okay maybe…


Chapter Eleven: Complications

The group froze in horror as the axe came whistling down. Var'Jun thought she looked calm and collected still, her face smiling rather eerily and her eyes drawn up to the face of the disturbing beast.

Yawna had put the small sunset horn band around the horn broken so long ago by the attackers of her village. The horn was chipped and occasionally throbbed with pain, but after Yawna had slid the band around it the pain had stopped. Now it was glowing, the entire orange, red, and yellow fibers in the adornment sending out a warm light.

Yawna smiled soulfully as the light began to gather above her head. Though it all happened in a matter of seconds it seemed to take forever for the light to take on a Tauren shape. It was a huge male with bulky cords of muscle along his arms and a broad chest lamented with gold trinkets that flashed and glittered. The ghostly image faded out at the waist, turning into fine particles of sun mist. The bull was familiar to Yawna, but she knew that Makar, her father, was dead.

The ghost gripped the axe as it came down, bringing it to a grinding halt. Light flared up the handle of the weapon and slowly it was drawn back up, the Abomination was staring ruefully at the floor and it's intestines which already spilled out of his ribs. It seemed ashamed somehow, but the beetle black eyes narrowed and his scythe came swinging about.

The ghostly image of Yawna's father was at the attack now though. His hands were a blur, diving in and out of the already pockmarked flesh of the Abomination. The creature faltered as Yawna stumbled backwards. With a gurgling yell it then fell, it's head falling Short of Yawna's hooves by only a few inches.

Makar bowed to his daughter, a wellspring of paternal wisdom and kindness reflected in his eyes. Yawna sobbed brokenly as the image faded slowly. Her sobs could only be interpreted as 'father' and when his image had finally blown away in the dusty wind and all of the undead children began to whimper again did a small bead the color of sand in full sun fall of the horn band and into Yawna's hand.

Weary Traveler broke the spell that this event seemed to have over the huntress. He barked loudly, his hackles raised to their fullest along his back and neck as the brave old wolf looked outside the tent. Thralk had sent his love for the huntress in the form of armed guards in case of the failure of the Abomination.

"Well, there's only two of those little bead thingies left and I'd hate to waste another," Var'Jun put stoically. He would have been kinder, but he felt that the harshness would have hurt Yawna more. "We really aught to be fleeing right now. He who lives fights another day."

"Or she," Gwyneth put in a voice that sounded half like a growl. Var'Jun looked over, amazed to see a cheetah sitting next to him in the tent. The shock was washed off, however, as Yawna rose from her knees and struggled to look away from the children. They could not be saved now, even the peace loving tauren knew that. Var'Jun (and Gwyn) were right. She would have to live another day.

"Head to the west," Yawna said softly, not questioning how she knew this information, "Thralk is going east to Ratchet and a ship that will take his army to the Undercity where he can find allies."

The group struggled off, Var'Jun, Gwyn, and even Malchior fighting spectacularly. Kat was trailing behind Var'Jun, clinging to his arm which was the only one unoccupied almost impossibly by the insanely broad sword. Yawna stood behind Malchior and Gwyn, her axe drawn but not moving and the gun still swaying at her hip. All around her Yawna could feel death as if took away the spirits of those who could not cling to their mortal bodies. Her mind throbbed with pain and toil but she kept a poker face and continued steadily.

"Hope everyone's in the mood for running," Yawna growled to Weary Traveler and herself.


"They're moving really fast though. Last time I checked almost all the tents had been packed and begun the move west." Var'Jun remarked, his head tilting back as amber liquid spilled form the bottle he was carrying and into his eager mouth.

The rag-tag group had moved far from the camp, hiding in a dimly lit and shallow cliff in a knoll. It looked like the place a child would claim for themselves, a fort of sorts that occupied childhood old. The group was not long rested, fleeing from the undead at top speed. Luckily they were not pursued, for the day was drawing to a close and they were tired as well as hungry. When the call was sounded for the undeads to move the attackers retreated, misunderstanding the importance of the party.

"We have to head that way too then," Yawna replied, "We'll give them a head start, all we have to do is let them leave first." She turned back to the fire she was feeding, her tail swishing thoughtfully. Var'Jun chuckled to himself as the whoosh it made heightened the flames.

"How did you get all this food Gwyn?" Kat asked softly. She was sitting in between the troll and Malchior, who's protectiveness of her made him sit closer than was comfortable. The priestess was still subdued, her eyes holding a heavy deadness to them. No one but the troll had noticed though, for they were too involved in their own thoughts.

"Cloaked myself," The druid put. She was stretched beside the fire, looking much more cat-like than she had before because of the power that she had now revealed. She was smiling as she hoisted a few dripping slabs of Kodo meat onto a spit she was creating. Yawna grimaced and Gwyn offered her an apologetic look.

"Apples and vegetables too," Yawna remarked, ignoring Malchior's snort and continuing to fan the fire until it was nice and high. "Good of you to think of me. Are you alright Kat?"

The priestess looked up suddenly. Her mind had traveled back to Kolkua and she had started to shiver violently. Var'Jun looked up in alarm, his beer bottle sinking to the floor and his spine straightened until he abandoned his comfortable pose across the rocks and the wall and was able to see the human better.

"Fine, fine," Kat smiled slightly, but it was hollow and everyone could see it.

"Whatever happened after that big undead fellow took you away?" Malchior asked. Though he seemed interested both Gwyn and Var'Jun shivered. Gwyn could remember his uncaring tone in the prison tent. Var'Jun could only remember the scene he had walked in upon, the General's retching jaws fixed forcefully over Kat's.

"He just questioned me." Kat laughed nervously, " Guess I'm not important enough for Thralk's time. Then Var'Jun got him and we left." Yawna could sense the lie as soon as Kat had said it but she did not press the priestess further. Something stirred underneath the lie that felt of immortal pain. Yawna kept quiet.

"That's not what I saw," Var'Jun said quietly, tipping his head back to let the alcohol slide down. In mid sip Kat whacked him soundly on the side of the head causing him to jump and spout beer everywhere.

"You are so drunken right now you have no idea what you're saying." Kat spit harshly, her arms crossing over her chest, "Besides, you were in such a rage that you couldn't even tell I was there until you killed him."

"Horde members fight like bastards, cowards, thieves, and sneaks anyhow," Malchior put in snidely, "I wouldn't have been surprised if he cleaved right through you too." The paladin stood stiffly, stretching and pointedly turning his back on the troll.

"Well apparently Alliance people don't fight at all because you surely didn't defend Kat as you should have." Var'Jun growled, standing to the challenge and breathing angrily on the air that smelt of alcohol and the intoxication the troll often succumbed to.

"At least I didn't scare her half to death. The way she clung on to you makes me think you might be threatening her. What have you done to Katherine?" Malchior's lip curled upwards, his face set into an angry sneer, " I suppose you used her as you pleased, I wouldn't put it past a troll to use a concubine."

All the blood drained from Kat's face and Var'Jun spluttered angrily, unable to even produce words at this new insult. The camp had gone quiet, everyone watching the two battling men with interest and dread.

"Enough you two." Kay cried out, standing with a flurry of swooshing dress layers and clenched fists, " I can't stand it when you fight. Why can't everyone just get along." She stomped off, her form exiting the cave and leaving behind her annoyance with the two of them.

After a few seconds of silence Malchior followed her, protesting and beginning loudly as his armor clanked and clattered over the din of silence.

"You're hiding something for her," Gwyn said softly, her face focused on the fire as she turned the roasting meat. Beside her Yawna nodded in agreement, her hands never stopping their quick chopping of the vegetables and fruits she had confined herself to.

"Nothing," Var'Jun took a long swig of his beer, his smile hidden for the moment as Malchior's voice echoed down the passage. It was followed shortly by Kat's bitter sounding retort and then a small thump.

"I'm not hiding anything," Var'Jun repeated.

"It's no wonder Malchior hates you," Gwyn remarked, "He and you have the same interest in Kat, though I say he's far more open with his and she is made uncomfortable by his showing."

"What do you mean?" Var'Jun demanded, one eyebrow raised in confusion, "Kat and Malchior have known each other for a long time, apparently, and it's no wonder that she would want the strong and eager paladin. I think it's a human thing."

"Don't be foolish," Yawna growled, smiling at Gwyn as the two prepared to close in, " You and Kat obviously are more than friends. She is always watching you, you know."

"To keep me out of trouble," Var'Jun replied, leaning against the stone cave wall in frustration, "You broads just think that every little look is that of amore." Var'Jun tilted his alcohol to the sky, smiling blithely and chuckling to himself. "Silly lovesick girls."

"You're funny when you're drunk." Yawna said, watching the troll with an amused smile. Gwyn just grimaced, shaking her head and sniffing.

"I might be drunk," Var'Jun mused, swigging from the bottle with a sigh of pleasure, "But at least I'm not worrying right now. Sure, I'll suffer in the morning, but it will be worth it all." He laughed darkly before slumping over the rock he was near and watching the entrance to the cave with the eyes of a hawk.

"You ought to show her that you care better. You're not very open like that, but I'll bet you can do it." Yawna chuckled as she saw Var'Jun twitch his ears irritably and sit up again, the beer bottle clutched close in his hand as if her were thinking of something else instead of it.

"Crazy cow."

"No really," Gwyn smiled at the troll as she handed him a thick slab of meat on a wooden palate. Food was not the only supply she had taken from the moving undead camp. Her cloaking skills allowed her to steal food, clothes, camping supplies, and other such things like the beer. It had taken quite a few trips, but Gwyn seemed to be the freshest of all of them apart from the un-sneaky Malchior and was the best choice by far.

"Listen Var'Jun. If you don't tell her someone's going to snatch her up fast. Kat is a good looking woman and she's not going to wait forever. At least make some intimation."

To the trolls honor he did try and look as bored as he could during this speech, taking long drinks from the beer and finding his feet very interesting. But unfortunately for him he was also a rather nervous person when it came to lies and soon the troll was running his pinky down one of his long tusks (a nervous habit of his) and watching his two smiling companions.

"Now, let's say I did have feelings for Kat." Var'Jun began uncertainly, panicking as the two girls gave him a joyous smile, "I said if. This is hypothetical here. If I did have feelings for Kat how would you expect them to work. I am a troll and she is a human. We are sworn enemies, lusting for each other's blood."

"He's lusting for something alright." Yawna said with a chuckle as she watched Var'Jun wistfully look towards the door. The troll heard, turning to sneer at his tauren friend and wave her comment away with his bottle.

"I think Kat could look past your being a troll. Don't make up excuses." Gwyn snorted, her eyes rolling as she watched the troll turn his back to them and continue to watch the doorway in a sulky mood.

After a moment he rose, stretching his long arms to the sky. He placed down the empty bottle, smiling as he realized he had consumed it all. Var'Jun always held his alcohol well.

"I need air, I'm going to end up getting dizzy." Ignoring Gwyn's and Yawna's protests of behaving and looking for fights the troll exited the cave, his mouth twitching into a smile as he heard Weary Traveler rise to follow him under the huntress's whim. Yawna would not allow any misbehaving around her.

"I'm going to avoid them. I don't want to see Malchior anymore than I always despise doing so." he called back into the cave, half expecting Weary Traveler to give his trademark laugh. When he did not the troll hefted his heavy sword from it's sheath and onto his shoulder. Night was a blanket over Mulgore.


"Tell me what happened." Malchior repeated, his hands trying to choke the life out of the air in his frustration. It only made Kat step further away, adamantly shaking her head and responding with the same thing over and over again.

"Nothing happened."

"You are not helping. I'm here for you Katherine. Please talk to me." Malchior sighed, drawing the priestess close to him. He didn't seem to notice how this made her shake and stiffen, thoughts of Kolkua flashing back through her head like ice and fire. Weakly she tried to push out of his hug, the same limb-freezing and powerless feeling returning.

"Don't Malchior," Kat protested, looking around her as if she was searching for someone, "Please, not here. I-I-"

"Nonsense," Malchior had pushed his face quite close now, sending further images to Kat's brain that made her breath stopped. She choked for a moment, her mind reeling and waiting for undead claws to dig through her shirt and sleeves and grasp her hard. Even though Malchior was softer he still had a strength to his grasp as a paladin and she could feel his hot breath on her lips.

The space between the closed and terror seized Kat. She was not herself, unable to push him away, to hate or enjoy it, but only to feel an immense pain stemming from her mind and heart and continuing till one small tear slipped from the corner of her eye and went unnoticed down her cheek.


Var'Jun snorted, kicking a rock in his path. His mind was back at camp, recalling the conversation that had taken place earlier. He wanted to admit anything so bad, that he didn't feel for Kat or that he did. But the poor warrior was so confused.

"She's a human Var'Jun," The troll thought to himself, "Get a hold of yourself. You don't feel that way. You don't. Say it out loud. Make it true." The troll opened his mouth, determined to say the words. But he found with displeasure he could not.

"Why can't I be definite on this?"

It was then that Var'Jun heard Kat's pleading. He heard Malchior's name in the sentence in which the tone was so pleading and his blood froze. It was the same tone that she had used when she had said Var'Jun's name after what Kolkua had done to her. The same desperate plea that had Var'Jun's heart in it's hands. The troll drew his sword and followed the sound.

What he saw were two figures. At first her thought it was one large one because they were so close, but he could distinguish Malchior's armor (what he had left of it) and Kat's layered dress. The troll's heart pricked, first with pins and needles and then with a great wave of pain that hit him like a three ton weight. Malchior and Kat were kissing.

"Why does this hurt me?" The troll asked himself taking a staggering step backwards, "This shouldn't bother me at all. I should be happy, the priestess is out of my hair."

It was then, as if the moon had conspired to hurt him or heal him, did a cloud leave the face of the great lunar viewer and light up the scene. He shivered when noticing how close they were, but with a double take did he notice a pearly illuminated tear slide down Kat's face.

"Crying." Even though Var'Jun was half drunken he could still understand what was going on. That was not what Kat wanted, she was once again being unwittingly forced. What the troll did not register was that while Kolkua had known what he was doing was rape Malchior had no idea. He had taken her desperate clinging for a passionate grasp and had not even noticed that she was stricken. The troll began to enter another Fury, but drunken he could only manage half.

"Malchior!" he roared, ignoring the fact that Weary Traveler had turned tail and ran back to his mistress to warn her. All his Fury stuck mind could register was the fact that Malchior was now doing something that he should not be allowed to do.

The paladin separated from the priestess, looking up in surprise and anger as the troll approached. His face contorted into a grimace and he growled angrily though he put no words to it.

Kat saw Var'Jun too, and half of her was immensely grateful for the troll to once again be there. But the other half of her saw the danger in the situation that had just happened and she immediately woke from her shocked and wounded state to begin to solve the problem.

"Var'Jun don't-"

"I saw Kat. You were crying. I won't let it happen again. I won't! I've let it happen once because I wasn't there to watch out for you, and now I'm here and it won't go on." The troll stepped in between the paladin and priestess, his tusks pushed up into Malchior's face.

"What are you talking about, you crazy beast?" Malchior narrowed his eyes, "I know! You were jealous, weren't you. You thought to interrupt us. I had no idea you trolls really do use concubine when I said that. Sick animals." The paladin drew his sword too, his eyes glinting fiercely.

Kat could never really be sure who struck the first blow. All she knew was that at one moment her brain was unable to process what was happening and the next the sound of steel on steel brought her crashing out of it.

Whomever struck the first blow would remain hidden because now the two were head on sword fighting. Malchior's quick saber darted around Var'Jun while the troll worked with his heavy broad sword to push it back, able to try and get a few good shots in himself. The two looked like deadly dancers, their weapons blurs of pale moonlight and red fury. The clouds cloaked the moon and all through it Kat began to slowly see the horror of what was born of the Alliance and Horde's hatred.

"Stop it, stop!" The woman screamed, trying to throw herself over Malchior, who was closest to her. The paladin only pushed her roughly away, battle lust taken over. She landed a few feet spanned from the two and cried out softly as her back struck a sharp rock.

This enraged the troll further and he battled with more of a fury, the alcohol consumed earlier making it even harder for him to regain control. The two had been battling back and forth when Var'Jun backed Malchior into a ditch and the paladin fell into a sitting position.

Breathing raggedly Var'Jun thrust his sword to the hated knight's neck, his teeth grinding and his lips curling. He had only to push a little further, the sharp blade driving into Malchior's neck and ending the anger that the troll felt. But when he looked over at Kat he saw it in her eyes. If Var'Jun killed Malchior than the priestess would never forgive him.

"Consider yourself warned." Var'Jun snarled dangerously, his teeth bared. He lowered his sword, preparing to turn around. The knight seemed defeated and there was no reason for the prince to continue the battle.

But the second that Var'Jun's sword was lowered Malchior pushed his own saber into the ground and levered himself up swiftly. His gauntleted hand grasped the troll warrior's neck with an unyielding strength. The troll gasped as the strength became further and the grip tightened and sucked the life from him slowly.

"I showed- gah! I showed you mec- m- mercy!" Var'Jun struggled out. He heard Kat yell and saw her try and struggle down Malchior's arm, but the knight was adamant. He smiled as the grip tightened further.

"And that's your weakness, troll. You showed mercy when you shouldn't have." Malchior ignored Kat's frantic pleas and began to lift Var'Jun off the ground. The troll was taller, but his head was thrust backwards and he felt his feet drag along the prairie grass.

Var'Jun was going light headed. He felt his mind begin to recede back to where it could hide from the world in this dark and welcoming area. He could stay there forever and never have to worry about what would happen to Azeroth and Yawna and Gwyn and even Kat.

In the recesses of Var'Jun's mind he heard a gun shot. It made Malchior startle and drop the troll where he slumped across the prairie. Kat was at his side imminently, he heard her sobbing and trying to figure out if he had lived or not.

"Var'Jun, please say you're alright. Please." Var'Jun felt her warm hands rast on his face and he sighed softly to himself.

"Get me some beer," The troll growled, opening one yellow eye and watching Kat go from desperate to slightly annoyed and amused and relieved. It was an interesting combination.

Gwyn struggled with the gun, smiling as her ability to use guns was proven just as good as she thought it would be. Horrible. Druids were never meant to use guns, but Yawna had absolutely refused to.

The bullet was fired only into the sky, but it had the right effect. Everyone stopped and listened.

"Go back to camp, you sinners." Yawna roared, trying her best to appear bigger. It worked when she happened to be the largest and most powerful there.


The night had settled. Malchior and Var'Jun were kept a large distance apart and Gwyn and Yawna had taken first watch. The two were debating, their voices smooth and silken on the night air.

"Where are we going?" Gwyn asked, watching her tauren friend as she surveyed the gun. The tauren had refused to touch it and after it had been shot she had seen her quaking violently behind her.

"The Undercity." Yawna replied, "If anyone can stop Thralk it's the undead themselves. If they don't want this war then they won't want him in it because that would give people reason to attack all undead instead of only Thralk. They have to power to stop him."

"How do you suppose we get there, oh Tauren of infinite wisdom?" Gwyn smiled as the tauren pretended to take on the role and bowed her head with utmost knowledge.

"Through Thunderbluff, young child of the forest." she replied, "On the backs of many Wind Riders."

"And how do you suppose we make it through Thunderbluff and the Wind Riders with three Alliance members, oh spirit of ancient intelligence? And with no money as well."

"Because we are messengers from Bloodhoof Village and we come bearing captives to the Undercity, oh youthful elf."

"Elune help us."


Well that's it for now. The next chapter reminds me of a swashbuckling adventure of old, but it won't be out for a little while. Much to do, much to do, no procrastination now!