A/N: Well, here I am again! Are any of my good ol' readers still around? If so, thanks for sticking with me! If you're new, welcome! I'm posting this first chapter as a teaser, and I hasten to add that it's probably coming well in advance of the rest of the story. I'm breaking my own rule here and haven't actually finished the whole thing yet, but I did want to get this out here as evidence that I'm still working and fully intend to finish.
Since it's been so long, a disclaimer: I don't own WoW, Blizzard, or NPCs; just my own characters and story. Story order: In A Dark Place, Joined Lives, Secrets and Lies, Liberation, Light and Gray, Bloodscry.
How strange it had been to wake in the dead of night and have her husband tell her they were going to have two babies. Twins. Hyara had stared at Galmak in bewilderment for several heartbeats before she'd gathered her wits enough to ask how in the Light he could know that. Another vision from the ancestors, a dream, a hunch? They'd tried to make it a fact of their lives to accept the instincts given him by the mysterious sources who had made themselves known over the past half year, but so much was still so unclear.
But somehow he did know they had twins on the way, because that's what Remta had confirmed the next morning, just as soon as they were able to see him without dragging him out of bed. Their joy had grown double in the space of one night.
"I can tell now," the Broken had said, his eyes closed and one hand resting lightly on Hyara's stomach. "It's so early it is hard to see them separately, but yes… now that I know to look for two I feel them both clearly. Their little spirits are strong." He'd opened his eyes and beamed happily at Hyara and Galmak.
In all the celebration that followed, no one but Remta had thought to ask how they'd guessed at twins so early in the pregnancy.
Galmak had shrugged. "Fatherly feeling," he'd replied vaguely, and Remta had only grinned and clapped him on the back in an unusual display of emotion.
They'd never known such pride before, and nearly all of Karkun Kamil seemed to share it. Kereth had gone into fits of happiness all over again, more congratulations followed them through the village, they were suddenly mulling over two names instead of one. It was a little overwhelming, especially considering the recent turmoil they'd all been put through at the hands of the Alliance, and it wasn't long before Hyara tentatively suggested that maybe the two of them ought to head out for several days with Palla and Gink. Just a short trip, some time away together to collect their thoughts, talk, and relax on their own. Galmak had agreed with relief and they'd left Karkun Kamil the following day amid well-wishes and Kereth's anxious exhortations to take care of the babies.
"Where to?" Galmak asked, surveying Nagrand's plains and gentle hills speculatively. It was a golden, cool morning with the scent of ripening fruit wafting upward from the cleft behind them. No clouds in sight; they'd have a beautiful day for traveling, wherever they decided to go.
Hyara smiled and shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We can wander a bit."
"Let's stick to the main roads with our wanderings then. Less chance we'll run into trouble."
They started off down the narrow dirt path that meandered its way across the fields from Karkun Kamil to the road, setting an unhurried pace. It felt good to have the road in front of him again, Galmak thought a bit ruefully, and he wondered if maybe he'd never be entirely cured of the wanderlust. He could feel high spirits and a little relief in Hyara too. It was always a welcome change to get a small dose of travel every now and then.
"Garadar?" she mused aloud.
"We could drop in, but we took the wrong way out of the cleft for that," he grinned, taking her hand and guiding his wolf a little closer to her side. He concentrated a moment on her sense, searching for what he'd begun to notice over the past few weeks – a little warm corner of her mind, tucked cozily away. It was their babies. Or rather, he didn't think he was actually feeling them, but more Hyara's awareness of them. He wasn't sure she even knew that little bit of feeling was there. It was a private avenue into her mind and the way she thought of their children, and Galmak loved to feel it.
"What about Shattrath, then?" she suggested. The bustle of the city could be a nice change of pace from the cleft's leisurely way of life.
He shrugged unconcernedly. "Lead the way."
She did, grinning mischievously at him, dropping his hand, and with a shout urging her horse to a hard gallop down the path. Galmak growled to his wolf and sprang after her with a whoop, leaving a cloud of dust hovering in the air behind him. It was playful competition, but he was also in earnest about catching her – he wasn't going to let her bolt off too far on her own, even so close to the cleft. There was still danger in Nagrand even after so many years under the inevitable calming effect of the Horde, Alliance, and Sha'tari military presence.
Hyara knew that too though and she didn't go far. She pulled her horse up abruptly after a few minutes and shot him a smile, tossing her silver-blonde hair over a shoulder.
"I win," she said as Galmak pulled up at her side a few seconds later.
"You might win now, woman, but you'll pay for it later," he growled, baring his tusks at her in a mock-snarl.
"I'll look forward to that," she replied and smacked him with her tail.
They stopped for lunch at mid-day and ended up lounging around for longer than they'd intended, talking contentedly in the afternoon sun. Galmak swore he could see the beginning of roundness showing in Hyara's stomach, a claim which she pretended offended her. She knew it was true – she'd already noticed it for herself a few weeks ago when her armor stopped fitting quite the way she was used to.
"You must just think I'm letting myself slip!" she pouted, trying to disguise a smile.
He laughed, stroking a finger down a horn affectionately. "It's not too early. They're twins and they're half orc, which'll make them a bit bigger anyway. We also don't know exactly how far along you are. You might be further than you think. There's really no telling when it could've happened," he added wickedly.
"Draenei children aren't exactly small…"
"Maybe not, but I know for a fact orc babies are big."
"I just hope they're not too big," she said, making a face.
Galmak's expression sobered abruptly at the reminder of how their children were going to make it out into the world and he gave his mate's back a comforting rub.
"You'll have all the best help we can get," he promised, hoping to reassure himself also. Gods, it would be frightening when the time came, he suddenly realized.
The rest of the way to Shattrath didn't take them long, and by evening Nagrand's eastern mountains reared in front of them in the dimming light. The orange glow of torches dotted the slope before them, marking the High Path that would lead up into the mountains for about another hour until they reached the cave-like entrance to the city. More torches snaked along the path in a flowing swarm, revealing the movements of others on the path. The travelers pulled to a halt, squinting up at the fires in the dusky distance.
Galmak's night vision was better and he identified the unusual traffic first. "It's a mixed force of Sha'tar and Aldor," he said.
"That's a lot more than they usually have patrolling the High Path," Hyara commented a touch worriedly.
He nodded and kicked his wolf forward again. "We'll have to see what's going on. Stay close."
She rolled her eyes in annoyance. As if she wouldn't stay close; what reason did she have to wander? Galmak sensed her mild irritation but he shrugged it off and she followed him without complaint.
There was an exarch on elekk-back at the foot of the path, bellowing orders to a nearby subordinate. Galmak trotted his wolf over and waited to catch the man's attention.
Finally the exarch paused his shouting and noticed the orc waiting patiently to get a word in. "Ah, what are you here for?" he barked, but then he appeared to switch to civilian mode and lowered his tone. "That is, were you planning on using the path tonight?"
"Yes," Galmak nodded. "Is there a problem with that? Have you had trouble here?"
The draenei grimaced and his elekk stomped once. "Trouble indeed. It's the Lost Ones, been waylaying travelers and patrols lately. We've even had a few clashes with guards right at the gates of Shattrath."
"What are they still doing around here?" Galmak asked with a frown. "I thought they'd all been pushed back into the mountains to the north."
"They have," the exarch growled impatiently. "They've been venturing further afield. Makes for much annoyance and a few lives lost among my men. It'll be a chore to get you up the path tonight, orc, you'll need an escort to get you through all those troops and I don't think we can manage it just now. Better to wait for morning when things've died down. We always have to keep a sharper watch at night."
"But wouldn't– "
"No use arguing, I haven't the time!" the exarch bellowed, waving a hand dismissively. "You'll be plenty safe to sleep in our camp down here tonight and you can be on your way early in the morning." He shouted and waved an aide over. "Beryl, see that this man is given a spot in the camp for the night and make sure he has an escort up the path in the morning."
"My wife too," Galmak said, clearing his throat and jerking a thumb toward Hyara.
The exarch jumped visibly when he noticed the draenei on horseback nearby, but he nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes, her too. Snap to it!"
The aide saluted her commander and motioned to them, scurrying off toward a glowing ring of torches on a hillside just south of the path. They passed their mounts to a stable hand just outside the camp and then wove through the rows of tents and bedrolls. Some were occupied; many were not, their owners taking part in the vigil on the path.
"Light, I wonder how many Lost Ones there were, to cause this much of a stir," Hyara whispered.
"If they got lucky and caught a few travelers and soldiers off-guard, it might not've had to be too many," Galmak shrugged. "Shattrath would come up with something like this to make sure no one else gets killed. They seem a bit alarmist sometimes."
"Here you are," Beryl said, stopping at a bare spot of grass near the eastern edge of the camp. "I will see that someone comes here to escort you up the path in the morning. You should know that if you choose to go through to the city, you won't be able to return this way until we have the threat neutralized. That shouldn't be long though." She smiled, bowed slightly, and moved away back through the tents.
Galmak and Hyara exchanged a look. "Should we go?" they asked in unison and laughed.
"It could put us over the 'few days' mark for being away from the cleft, depending on how long the trouble lasts," Galmak pointed out.
"It might, but surely it won't be too much longer. Look at this place." Hyara gestured around at the sizeable camp and the hill crawling with torchlight. "I don't think even the Lost Ones would be stupid enough to try anything more with this army around."
"Alright then, let's go on as planned," he nodded. "It won't matter if it's a little longer anyway. We can even send a message back from Shattrath if we think we need to."
"We might need to. I think Kereth will want to know where the babies are every minute."
Galmak laughed and put an arm around her as she sat on the bedroll beside him. As if by silent agreement, Gink and Palla slunk simultaneously into the ring of firelight and lay down to either side of their hunters. Hyara gave Gink a scratch and then laid down for herself. The familiar, welcome feel of road-weariness soaked her and she yawned as Galmak spread a blanket over them. She fell asleep with her fingers twined in his hair and his hand resting on her stomach.
---
A shout echoed across the rows of sleeping soldiers, jarring Galmak from sleep. Hyara stirred also and they both sat up, yawning, to have a look around in the darkness. Their time sense told them it must be very late, just on the morning side of midnight. There were murmurings nearby as a few of the Sha'tar and Aldor forces also awoke. Several bulky plate-clad figures were silhouetted against the torchlight to the north, conversing in a huddle. Galmak strained his ears to hear if any of the soldiers around them knew what was going on, if anything, but everyone else seemed to be wondering too. Some decided it was nothing and settled back down, a course of action which also tempted Galmak, but just then the group of conversing officers broke up and began to move among the troops in the camp, rousing a few here and there.
"What's going on?" Galmak asked in a low voice when one of the officers came near.
The man paused and looked over. "There's been signs of a party of Lost Ones spotted to the north at the edge of the mountains. We're sending out some forces to have a look, see if they can find 'em. They may not have anything to do with what's been going on here, but it looks like they're heading this way and we're going to cut them off before they get here if they're coming with murder in mind." He started to turn away to resume his rounds, but then he stopped and his glowing eyes squinted at Galmak in the darkness.
"You a rogue?" he asked. Galmak shook his head and the man grunted in disappointment. "Thought I'd ask. Too bad; we could use one."
"I am a hunter though. I'm pretty good at tracking."
"Pretty good," Hyara snorted under her breath. He was a lot more than that. "You're not going out there on your own," she warned in a low voice so only he could hear.
"That could be useful too. Don't go back to sleep yet, let me talk to my commander." The draenei man strode off into the night beyond the torches.
"I won't be on my own. I'll be with a whole force of Sha'tar and Aldor," Galmak said, settling back on his elbows on the bedroll.
"You know exactly what I mean. If you go, I'm going with you. Two hunters are better than one."
Why did she have to be so damned stubborn, and why did his ability to feel that she wasn't bluffing make him more inclined to roll over and play dead? Just because it was a futile battle didn't mean he shouldn't fight it anyway.
"Just stay here. There's no sense in both of us going; it probably won't take long anyway. More people will only slow us down and make it take longer," he tried to reason.
Hyara didn't even bother to reply, knowing that he could tell how determined she was. Instead she laid back down and closed her eyes until the officer came back. If he decided to come back, that is. Maybe Galmak's foolish volunteerism would come to nothing after all.
As it turned out, the officer they'd spoken with didn't return; instead, it was his superior who came to find them.
"I understand you're skilled at tracking," he said, kneeling and speaking softly so as not to disturb the soldiers sleeping nearby. "We could use someone who'd be able to find those Lost Ones more quickly. We need to establish what they're doing before they get too close."
"I could find them," Galmak answered, knowing his exceptional night vision would also be an asset in the hunt. "I'll come along if you need me."
"And I will too. I'm also a hunter," Hyara said. Galmak growled low and turned a glare on her.
"Scouting group's leaving in ten minutes from the foot of the hill. We'd appreciate the help," the vindicator said and left them to work out what was clearly a private matter.
"You aren't coming," Galmak said flatly. "It's too dangerous."
"I don't see why you volunteered for this and now you're insisting I can't come along when you knew I wouldn't let you go alone," Hyara glared back.
"They need the help," he growled. "I'm just going to sit on my hands when I know I could be useful?"
"And what about me?" she hissed back. "I sit here and worry about you out there in the dark, stalking after enemies. You're taking this too far. I'm still every bit as much a hunter as you are and I'm capable of taking care of myself and the little ones, and also making sure they have a father around when they're born. If you think it's too dangerous for me to go, it's probably too dangerous for you to go. You can't just do things like this anymore without considering the consequences."
"Consequences," Galmak grunted to himself. It wasn't the first time he'd realized he wasn't free to play fast and loose with his own safety anymore, of course, but the reminder felt like a sharp rap on the head. The scouts would probably manage fine without him. He had to admit it had probably been his own impulse to get into the middle of the excitement that had made him want to volunteer, more so than any do-gooder urge. Hyara was right; he was going to have to learn to curb that impulse better, especially when he knew it would virtually force her to follow him. It wasn't as if he hadn't already curbed it a great deal, but…
He cursed under his breath and stood up.
"Where are you going?" she asked suspiciously, ready to jump up and follow him.
"I'm going to apologize to the commander and tell him I can't in good conscience leave my wife here to worry, and I definitely can't take her along," he growled grumpily and stalked off.
Was he just being paranoid and overprotective now? Perhaps Hyara would have been fine to come along; they might have found nothing or only a harmless group of Lost Ones out foraging. It was an unnecessary risk though and he was even less willing than ever to let her take it. …And he was also being hypocritical for expecting her not to feel the same way about him, the father of their twins, taking that risk. He sighed and swiped a hand across his face, covering a yawn.
He didn't think he'd recognize the draenei who'd spoken to him in the dark, but it was easy to pick out the scouting party and he approached the man who seemed to be in charge of it. He was spared the embarrassment of wondering if it were the same officer when the man noticed him before he had to speak.
"Ah, here you are, good," he said. "We'll be going on hoof so there's no need to get your mount– "
Galmak cut him off as politely as possible before he could make any further plans. "I'm afraid I won't be going after all. My wife has refused to stay behind if I go and I can't put her in danger by allowing her to come."
"Ah," the draenei said again in a different tone. "Well, nothing for it then. We'll manage fine, thank you anyway." He turned briskly back to directing the party making ready to leave.
Galmak stood around for a few more minutes, watching the preparations and then watching the scouting party as they disappeared north into the night. He had greater responsibilities now and he was just going to have to get used to it, he told himself sternly.
It was one of shattered Draenor's oddities that its temperatures, climates, flora, and fauna varied so wildly between areas. Where Nagrand was moving toward a balmy autumn at this time of year, Terokkar Forest, Shattrath City included, seemed to have already reached the colder stages of the season. It hadn't been so long ago that Hyara and Galmak were in the city on their way back from Azeroth, but even in that short time the autumn rains had started and continued almost relentlessly. The sky and the city were a flat steel-grey when the two hunters at last emerged from the long tunnel leading from the High Path to Aldor Rise.
"Well, we could have chosen better destinations," Galmak said, surveying the expanse of bleak, dripping stone.
Hyara sighed in reply and wrinkled her nose. This was one of those times she knew they both wished for a way to turn the bond off – if they weren't careful, they could let their shared gloom wash over them until it felt like there wasn't room for much else. She didn't want them to get stuck in that, so she made an effort to pick up her spirits.
"Let's find a room, get dried off, and see about something to eat, love," she said matter-of-factly, guiding her horse in the direction of the inn.
Their room was cozily warm, and in this instance Hyara was glad for the fact that it lacked a window. She didn't need to see outside to know it was still raining, anyway; Gink's sense held the special brand of disgruntlement he reserved for rainy days. He and Palla had slunk straight into the stables upon their arrival and now Hyara could tell her cat was sulking a bit and grooming himself.
"Are you as hungry as I am?" she asked, mopping at her damp hair and horns. Galmak gave her a lecherous grin, running his eyes over her wet and clinging clothing, and she laughed. "Alright, lunch can wait…"
Lunch did wait a while, and then they decided to venture into Lower City. The rain had slackened to a drizzle that their cloaks could fend off, and though it was chilly, there wasn't much wind. The city's crowds were much sparser than usual. Hyara wondered hopefully if perhaps today might be a little worse weather than was normal, even for this time of year. Maybe tomorrow it would clear up.
"Let's go get a drink," Galmak said, taking a look around at all the mud and deciding he didn't want to bathe more than once that day.
"We only just had lunch," Hyara reminded him, but a mug of hot apple cider did sound like a Light-blessed gift right now and she quickly relented.
They stepped carefully around the worst patches of muck and into the nearest and tamest-looking tavern. Run by goblins, Galmak noted, which didn't bode well for the place staying remotely tame at night, but it seemed alright for the moment in mid-afternoon, and clean enough. He ordered double apple ciders, making sure the barkeep knew not to sauce them up, and then joined Hyara at a table.
"How long do you want– " they both started and then broke off, grinning at each other. It was still a bit of a shock how closely their thoughts ran parallel sometimes.
Galmak took a sip, savoring the warm cider, before replying to his own question. "I figure we can have a look around in the market today or maybe tomorrow if you'd rather. We can pick up a few things the Kanrethad might be running low on; Kellig did mention before we left that he needed several more tins of flux. Other than that, it doesn't really matter. We can leave any time you're ready."
"It's awfully muddy out there today," Hyara said doubtfully. "I think we'd be better off waiting 'til tomorrow for the market. Maybe we could go up to the Terrace of Light?"
Less mud, probably more crowds because of that, but they didn't really mind lots of people on occasion. Galmak nodded.
They sat for a while longer warming up, drying off, and talking quietly. Others came and went, some stayed inside out of the weather, but few people seemed anxious to be out in the city's most infamously muddy area and the tavern stayed uncrowded. Up in the stables across the city, Palla's sense was fuzzy and content, a warm feeling that told Galmak she was sleeping.
"The rain's stopped," Hyara said eventually, craning her neck to see out the door. Sure enough, it had. They paid their tab and strolled outside, stepping around wide puddles mirroring the dull sky until they reached a stone entry slanting upward to the Terrace of Light.
Market days in Lower City brought the largest crowds Shattrath ever saw, but the Terrace of Light could pull off a close second during the relentlessly sodden days of early fall. No one wanted to be down in the mud, not even those who lived in Lower City. Merchants and street vendors packed up wares for higher ground, customers took their business upstairs, even Shattrath's orphans trooped up to the terrace for outdoor playtime where they wouldn't come back inside looking like miniature swamp beasts. Today was no exception; people milled everywhere around the terrace, colorfully bundled blotches against the grey stone. Hyara and Galmak absorbed into the rain-soaked crowd and made a leisurely round of some of the vendors' carts and stalls.
"Look at this," Hyara said, pointing to something laid out on a table beneath a makeshift awning. "What is it?"
Galmak frowned down at the thing, stumped too. "Strange, that's what it is," he whispered so the merchant wouldn't hear. The merchant was an arakkoa and the thing in question looked to have been made from a combination of his own feathers, mud, and a broken gnomish shrink ray. He noticed them looking and squawked loudly, flourishing bony taloned hands to shoo them away. Obviously not meant for an orc or a draenei, whatever it was.
A small figure streaked out of a knot of people and collided head-on with the backs of Galmak's knees. The orc was about as affected as a tree hit by a flying squirrel, but the other party to the collision had landed soundly on his rear and was now scrambling to get his footing on the wet stone. Galmak grinned and extended a hand to help the little troll boy, who grabbed the proffered hand and leapt up with a harried look over his shoulder. His fall had apparently cost him his lead though; an angry-looking human woman pushed out of the crowd, saw the boy, and rushed over to clamp a hand around his arm.
"Ek'han, I swear by the Light, this is the last time I trust you!" she scolded, kneeling down to put her face close to his long nose. "You are going straight back inside and no dessert for you tonight!" The boy made a sulky croaking noise that Galmak might have thought was a rude comment in Zandali if the child had been older, and slouched sullenly in the woman's grip.
She straightened up, keeping a firm hold on the child, and addressed Galmak. "I'm very sorry about him, he's impossible. I hope he didn't hurt you. Thank you for catching him."
"Not a problem," Galmak said, but he gave the kid a wink. He could remember leading his mother in a few merry chases through the streets of Orgrimmar. Ek'han only glared back; stupid adults, always ruining his fun somehow.
The woman led her charge away back through the crowd, scolding in a low voice, and Galmak chuckled. "I guess we'll have to get used to– " But he broke off, whirling around at what he felt suddenly in Hyara.
She was standing right where she had been, only a few paces away, but she wasn't looking at him. She didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular, in fact – her eyes were blank with terror and her body was rigid. He leapt to her side, at the same time running a sharp eye over the people nearby, searching for what might have spooked her. Nothing seemed amiss; the crowds swirled by unconcernedly, people shuffled around each other like cards in a deck. No one seemed interested in an orc and a draenei standing near a grouping of vendor carts.
"Hyara," he said gently, and she took a deep breath, pulling herself together enough to meet his eyes for a second. She turned her head slowly and searched the crowd around them with her eyes and her senses. She felt people and elekk in droves, Forsaken, horses, cats and wolves. No demons. She let out the breath she'd been holding and gripped Galmak's hand shakily.
He didn't have to ask what had happened; she told him readily, as if telling could banish the awful terror she'd felt. It had been unfounded, only her imagination piecing together fragments of noise in the crowd to play a cruel joke on her.
For an instant, it had seemed a voice had brushed across her ears, a sibilant whisper speaking only one word that had made her heart freeze and her skin prickle in a sudden cold sweat.
"Ar'aka…"