Chapter 21

"Hiding in Ahn'Qiraj?"

"So it would seem," said Hresden from the ground. Since they had deliberately spared Resden at Gadgetzan, he had continued on and at the edge of Silithus they had picked up his trail again. "Madness but then again I think we already know he is mad."

"So we do," murmured Caren. She then said, "We should camp for the night then continue in the morning."

"We can't," growled Saran from where he sat on the ground next to Kalya, one leg pulled up to his chest with his arms folded on top of it. Beside him, the new-made Forsaken shivered and tried desperately to breathe, low whimpers escaping her every few moments. He lifted his head to look at them and continued, "We don't have the time."

Caren frowned then nodded – she hadn't figured they would really. The only reason they had stopped now was to give their mounts a little bit of rest and so Hresden could pick up the tracks again.

Kwaaku looked up from sharing out water with all the animals excepting Hresden's then rumbled, "We're close. An hour's ride."

"How do you know?" asked Hresden as he straightened and wiped a stream of sweat from his forehead.

"We came out here once." It was Saran that replied and his gaze was focused off in the distance. "Kwaa was trying to impress a girl and begged me to come out here and help him get a silithid claw since she wanted something she'd never seen before."

The big Tauren ducked his head in embarrassment then grumbled, "She wasn't impressed. Wanted flowers."

Caren smiled at the story and Hresden gave a little chuckle, shaking his head, before he nudged one of the bones in the sand. With a rattle, Corain came back into one piece, and tossed her head in annoyance at her master.

"Yes, I realize you were enjoying the sun, girl, but we've still got work to do," intoned the mage as he patted the horse's flank. Then he swung up into her saddle and said, "Let's go then."

Saran gathered up Kalya in his arms then and waited until Kwaaku was mounted before he handed her up to him. He lingered there for a moment then turned swiftly and ran to his mount, already urging the wolf forward before he was in the saddle.

An hour later they did arrive at the gates of Ahn'Qiraj, just as Kwaaku had said. Hresden approached first, Corain jingling her gear nervously…then she reared up, screaming, as one of the ferals dropped down in front of her. The mage tugged her back, fighting to get her back under control, and snarled, "Who are you?!"

"A mere minion of my master," came the growled response. The feral then rose and pointed one hand at Saran, who glared back at it. "Welcome home, my brother."

"Not your brother yet," snarled the rogue. His arm then whipped forward but as the small throwing dagger buried itself into the sand, the feral was gone.

"We will see you inside, brother! Our master is dying to meet you and your friends!"

Saran growled then kicked his wolf forward, leaning over in the saddle to snatch up the dagger as he went. When his mount balked halfway through the open archway that formed the gate, he flung himself from the saddle and ran forward on foot, boots kicking up dust in his wake.

"SARAN!" bellowed Hresden, swinging down from his saddle. Cursing in Thalassian, he wrenched a bag off his saddle and flung it over his shoulder as he sprinted after the rogue.

Caren frowned then said to Kwaaku, "It would be best if you stay here with her."

"I can help," replied the Tauren as she got down from her wolf. Caren nodded and said, "I know. But he needs to know she is safe and not in their hands. Ride away quick as you can."

Turning, she tugged her staff from its bindings to the saddle then strode into Ahn'Qiraj after her two friends. Kwaaku watched her go mournfully then hugged Kalya close as he urged his wolf around.

Only to come face to face with two of the ferals, who were grinning maliciously at him.

He didn't have time to react before they were on him. One leapt at his mount, tearing into the wolf's throat and scaring off the others at the same time. Kwaaku was flung from the saddle and rolled to land on his back, cradling Kalya against his chest. He came to his feet quickly, reaching for his fighting claws, but the other was on him before he could.

In an instant his arm was torn to ribbons and the feral cackled as it danced around him, moving too quickly for him to reach out and grab.

"Give us the girl," it hissed.

"No!" he roared in response. He had to protect Kalya! She was his friend and Saran…

Saran loved her.

"Fine then," snarled the other one, the one that had attached his mount. Then both moved forward them and he saw with horror that their hands were deformed into claws – like Saran's had done in Gadgetzan. "We'll just take her then."

"By force," growled the second, red eyes gleaming.

Kwaaku nodded and steadied himself, flexing his injured arm painfully. He pulled Kalya closer with the other and snarled, "Do your worst, monsters!"

"Oh we will," purred one before they both leapt with feral screams, their weight driving the big Tauren into the sand.

And the last thing Kwaaku remembered as one of them smashed a stone against his head, was the other pulling Kalya away from him and seeing her frightened yellow eyes staring at him.

He had failed…