They spoke at length about the history of Highmountain and the issues that they had been facing ever since the invasion had begun. Faith learned that the drogbar had been giving the tauren problems all over the mountain, some of them even aligning with harpies in some cases.
"We also noticed that there is something odd going on with the Bloodtotem tribe. We heard there were some demons near their area of Highmountain so we sent some of our warbraves to check on them. They haven't returned."
"How long ago was that?" asked Faith.
"Three weeks. I fear the worst."
"Are they far from here?"
Mayla nodded, "On the other side of the mountain. It wouldn't take an eagle more than two hours to reach it, though, so they should have made the trip there and back again within a day. It's what they were supposed to do."
"Faith here is a mage," said Sendor. "She can make portals, so we could probably go there and see whether we can find your missing people. Once we've gotten in contact with them, we can make a portal to get back here."
"That is a possibility," agreed Faith. "Once I've gotten the coordinates from each place, I'll be able to make portals to and from there easily enough."
Mayla nodded, "That is good to know, thank you. But I wish that were the only problem we had. All of the tribes have been under attack lately. The Rivermane tribe is fielding drogbar attacks on a daily basis, and the issue with the harpies is one the Skyhorn tribe has been facing."
"All right, well, I can't split myself into three people, I'm afraid, but we can definitely assess the situation and report back to Dalaran."
"Our eagles are at your disposal, should you need them."
Faith smiled, "Thank you, High Chieftain, but I think I'll go get my riding bat to make things easier on everyone. I don't know by what miracle your eagle bore me on its back, considering the fact that I'm undead, but I'm very grateful it didn't toss me off its back."
"Living creatures do not allow you to ride them?"
"Not as a general rule, no. Bats do, but they're used to us. You have raised your eagles well."
"Thank you." She looked up as a brave brought over a map of Highmountain for them. "Here. This map has the coordinates of every settlement in Highmountain."
Faith looked at it closely, jotting down the position of Thunder Totem and committing it to memory and thanking Sylvanas for having made her mind sharper in undeath. "Okay, where is the Bloodtotem tribe located?"
"At Cliff's Edge, north of here. It overlooks a stretch of wood. The Rivermane tribe is right there in Riverbend, to the south."
"And the Skyhorn tribe would be right there, I presume," said Velien, pointing to an area of the map with the same name.
"That's right. Do you think you will be able to help us?"
"We will certainly try, but we're going to need to figure out where the priorities are. And we're going to need more people."
"Oh, I have many braves who will happily go with you. Haro, for instance. He is eager to be of use, despite the fact that he is so young."
"I'll be more than happy to have him along, as well as anybody else you can spare." She looked at Velien, "We're going to need additional mages for portals. I'm going to make you a portal back to Dalaran. Once you're there, please speak to Khadgar so that he can send some people over."
"What will you do in the meantime?"
"I'll find out as much as I can about the people of Highmountain. When you return, we'll be able to go. I'll make my way to Cliff's Edge, while you and Sendor go help the Rivermane and the Skyhorn tribes." She turned to Mayla, "Would that be all right?"
She nodded gratefully, "That's a good plan, thank you, Faith. I'll round up some warbraves to come with you."
"Sounds good." Faith got to her feet, "Let's get started."
The Highmountain tauren, as it turned out, were very eager to help. Mayla was able to find twenty volunteers in less time than it took Velien to return from Dalaran with additional forces. They were also curious about Faith and Sendor, happy when the two of them shared stories about their time in Mulgore.
"I should be happy to visit Thunder Bluff once all of this is over," said Mayla. "It sounds like our cousins are great people."
"Oh, they most certainly are," said Faith, grinning. "Our high chieftain, Baine Bloodhoof, would be particularly happy to meet you, I think."
Velien returned with the mages within the hour, also bringing with him several Horde and Alliance forces.
"We could only get fifteen additional people," he said apologetically. "I know that more would have made a difference, but there aren't many people to spare right now."
Faith clapped his shoulder gently, "I know. We're still fighting the Legion in Val'sharah and Azsuna."
"Oh, and I got this note here to give to you."
"A note?" She took a bit of parchment from him and unrolled it. "Oh. It's from Alexstrasza."
"Dear Faith,
Chromie just told me what happened with Ysera. I'm sorry you had to do that – I know it must not have been an easy decision to make. Thank you for ending her suffering and giving her back to Elune. I'm sure that she appreciates it, wherever she is now."
She stopped reading, working to swallow a lump in her throat. "Oh, Alexstrasza, my friend," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
"Are you all right, General?" Velien asked her.
She gave a single nod and rolled up the parchment again, stowing it in the pack she kept strapped to her leg. "All right, everyone. Before we go, I want you all to take an hour or two to get acquainted with the people here. Please learn about them and their culture, so that you can better appreciate what we're about to do."
"Do we really have time for that?" asked Sendor.
"We're making time. If we're going to be fighting with these people, we're going to have to learn about them and have them learn about us. It'll make things easier in the long run. I want you all to meet back here in a couple of hours."
Faith's plan worked well. By the time everyone had returned to where Faith was sitting, feeding Ivory some grapes, they'd made some friends and appeared more enthusiastic about what it was they were supposed to do.
"See? Getting to know the locals on a more personal level gives you a better idea of what's happening and what's at stake. Sure, you could have just come here and helped people without bothering to find out their names. But then, why should they trust you?"
She, for her part, had been speaking to the eagle handler, Windtamer Nalt, finding him curious about her bat. Ivory had allowed him to stroke her, even nudging him when he'd backed away.
"She's got very soft fur. You wouldn't think that about a bat."
Faith smiled, "Most people wouldn't touch a bat if their lives depended on it, they're too afraid of rabies."
"Is that a problem for your people?"
"Rabies? We've had to cull parts of Tirisfal Glades and Silverpine Forest because of the disease, but the bats seem to have done just fine." She scratched Ivory's ears gently, "Yes you have, haven't you?"
Ivory squeaked, leaning into Faith's hand. Nalt smiled as he watched them. "Cute," he said. "Oh, here comes Mayla."
Faith moved her hand away from Ivory and put up her index finger, indicating that she needed to behave. Instantly, Ivory straightened up, the picture of well-behaved innocence.
"You have trained that creature well," commented Mayla. "I never thought to train bats before."
"Well, if you ever come to Undercity, you'll see our roosting bats. Some of them are a little terrifying, but they're sweet, for the most part."
Mayla smiled briefly before turning to the people who had gathered around her. "I sincerely appreciate the fact that the Horde and the Alliance have decided to come and help our people. The problems we are facing may be common to some, but we have been at peace for quite some time, and we do not want to see that peace irrevocably shattered. I thank you all for being here and volunteering for these missions. Outsiders, please know that you will always be welcome here at Thunder Totem. I pray that you will be safe."
The tauren stomped their hooves as Mayla finished speaking. Faith inclined her head, "Well said."
"I am not used to giving speeches. My father was the better speaker."
"You'll get used to it. The key is to hold people's attention, and thanking them for what they've done or what they're about to do is a great way to do that."
"I wish I could come with you to see what was happening for myself."
"It's difficult to stay behind, I know," Faith told her. "It means placing a lot of trust in people you may not know very well and hope that they will do the job you've assigned them as well as you would."
"You speak from experience."
"Oh, I do. When my wife made me general of the Forsaken armies, I found that I had to stay in the back, directing things instead of being in the thick of battle all the time. It was frustrating, to say the least. That's why I'm happy to be here." She laughed. "I should get going."
"You should. Thanks again for coming to help."
"It's my pleasure. I hope to see you soon."
She whistled, and Ivory came to her, lowering her body to the ground so that Faith could climb on. All around her, others were doing the same, stroking their eagle's feathers, getting ready for the flight.
"Haro," said Faith, "could you please lead the way to Cliff's Edge? Mayla said you knew the place."
"I would be happy to."
They took off, each group of people riding in different directions. Faith didn't know what they were getting themselves into, but she hoped it wouldn't end in disaster.
The landscape of Highmountain was beautiful. From rocky mountain plains to high cliffs and riverlands, Faith found that she liked it immensely. As always, she wished Sylvanas were with her so that they could explore this new place together. Her wife would have certainly appreciated a ride through the area when she'd been alive, hunting wildlife and living off the land.
"I'm happy that we're flying through here," said one of her companions. "I wouldn't fancy having to pick my way over these hills with a hawkstrider."
"It wouldn't be easy," Faith told him, glancing back at him. "I daresay it would be very easy to unexpectedly fall off a cliff."
"And then some," he agreed.
He was one of two Sin'dorei with her, Farstriders who had survived the Scourge and had worked ever since to help others against various foes. They were accompanied by an orc shaman and two Forsaken rogues Faith had spoken to on various occasions. Accompanying them as well were Haro and three other Highmountain tauren, each of whom explained in turn what they were flying over.
"Below us is Pinerock Basin. This is where we find most of our moose and mountain lions."
Haro nodded, "It was there that I endured the trial to come of age last year. I managed to bring down a fully grown bear with my bare hands."
Faith glanced at him, her eyebrows raised. "Taking down a bear without a weapon is quite a feat, Haro. You should be proud of yourself."
He grinned at her, "Thanks. Nobody thought I would be able to do it because I'm smaller than the others."
"Size isn't indicative of strength," she told him. "Some of our most powerful mages are gnomes, and they hardly reach my knees in terms of height."
They grew quiet, contemplating the landscape before them. From their height, they could see all the way to the ocean, which bordered Highmountain on three sides.
Another hour passed before Haro's eagle began to descend, skirting over a plain that appeared to house a large number of bears, who paid absolutely no attention to them as they landed. As soon as they'd climbed off, their mounts took off again, Ivory going to roost up in a tree while the eagles stayed with her, perching on branches and looking around them with sharp eyes.
"Cliff's Edge is just over here," said Haro. "You see the tents? The Bloodtotems built their encampment there about ten years ago because they wanted to be away from the main hustle and bustle of Thunder Totem. They don't like outsiders very much."
"Well, we're not here to hurt them or anything," said Faith. "We just want to make sure they're all right."
Haro nodded, "Yes. But they consider us outsiders as well. Anybody who's not a Bloodtotem is eyed with distrust."
"I'll keep that in mind," she said.
They walked down a path that led to the entrance to the camp. Two guards were there, raising their spears at their approach.
"What do you want?" one of them asked, making no effort to be polite.
Faith bowed, speaking in Taur-ahe. "We heard there had been some trouble around here with demons, and wanted to make sure you were all right. We were sent by Chieftain Mayla Highmountain after the warbraves that came here did not return."
The guards looked at each other, clearly surprised to hear her speaking their language.
"We do not allow outsiders on our lands!" He then said something that Faith loosely translated as an insult to her ancestors. Haro took a step forward, but the Farstriders managed to hold him back.
She smiled at the guards but when she next spoke, her voice was hard, "Except that you will let us pass, and you will not attack us. We came here to see whether we could help you, but you obviously don't need that. So we will collect the Thunder Totem warbraves that were sent here and be on our way."
They waited a bit, but after a while, the guards agreed, barely, that they should go speak to their chieftain.
And so it was with a sense of dread that Faith and her companions walked into the Bloodtotem camp.
It was a camp like any other, with tents and people congregating around fires, eating stew from large iron pots. But Faith had found more cheer in the Lordaeron graveyards, sensing the intense dislike coming from the tauren around them.
The two guards led them to a small open square, where they found the three warbraves from Thunder Totem, who were distinguishable by the fact that their horns weren't quite as big as the Bloodtotem tauren's.
"Haro!" cried one of them. "What are you doing here?"
"We came here to get you out," he said. "What happened?"
"We have been trying to leave this place for weeks, but they have not let us do that. We have been staying here near this fire, while they bring us food and drink, but we were not able to speak to their chieftain at all. A week ago, they caught this drogbar and imprisoned it. That was the most movement we saw around here."
"What, are they trying to get you to be a part of their tribe?" Faith asked them.
"We do not know."
She introduced herself quickly and was about to go speak to one of the guards when they returned.
"You can come meet our chieftain," they said to her. "Only you. Your friends must leave our camp."
Faith looked at them and nodded, "Go."
"We shouldn't leave you here, General," said one of the Forsaken rogues.
"It's okay," she told him. "Go on, take these warbraves and go. I'll join you shortly."
"The warbraves cannot leave," said the guards. "Our chieftain wants them here."
"For what purpose? Surely you are not holding them prisoner for wanting to come and help you."
But the guards ignored her. "They stay."
One of them used his spear to keep Faith and the three warbraves where they were while the other one escorted Faith's companions back outside the camp.
Pursing her lips, Faith backed off, moving towards the warbraves, who were watching the proceedings with worried looks on their faces.
"It's going to be okay," she said quietly to them.
"I am not sure. The drogbar here has been saying that the Bloodtotem are up to something bad, but we have not been able to figure out what."
"We will, don't worry." Glancing at the guard to make sure he wasn't looking at her, she walked casually towards the cage where the drogbar was held. It was a furry creature that came up to her chest, with clawed hands and feet. It reminded her a little of a very furry trogg with a more prominent jaw and an intelligent look in its eyes.
The drogbar looked at her, then back at the guard. "You should leave here if you can." By its voice, Faith surmised she was looking at a male drogbar.
"Oh, I can, that's not the problem. What is your name?"
"Navarrogg," he said. "And you really need to leave. These tauren… they're not safe people to be around."
She gave a nod, "I believe you. Hang tight, we'll be out of here soon."
The guard returned, and he came towards her with his friend, "All right, you can come see our chieftain now."
"That's nice," said Faith. "Why don't you both take me to him? I'll follow you."
They started walking, leading Faith to one of the larger tents in the camp. Someone was waiting for her, a tauren whose elaborate horns made him look much too tall.
He glared at her as she approached, and she stared him down, not bowing to him, "Chieftain Bloodtotem," she said. "Thank you for receiving me. I hope you understand that my goal here was not to make anybody uncomfortable. We just heard that there was some trouble around these parts and came to see whether we could lend a hand."
"We really do not need help."
"I gathered that," she said. "So if it's all the same to you, I will gather the three warbraves you've had in your custody – you really can't keep them – and we shall leave you alone."
He looked at her with unrestrained hostility, "Fine. Go." He grunted, "And never come back to these lands again. We do not take kindly to outsiders."
"That's a pity. You'd find that knowing outsiders could be very good for your people in general. It could help them thrive and learn new things."
"Oh, we know the kinds of things your people have to teach us."
Wondering what he meant by that, Faith gave the barest nod, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Nevertheless, thank you for agreeing to speak with me, I leave in peace."
She stepped out of the chieftain's tent, assuming that the guards would be waiting for her to escort her back to the warbraves. However, she didn't see them anywhere. Even more curious was the fact that there was nobody left in that section of the camp. She could have sworn that she'd seen at least four tauren around a fire just ten paces away from where she stood, and several others watching from nearby structures.
"That's odd," she said to herself as she made her way back towards the entrance of the camp.
She reached the area where the warbraves had been and stopped in her tracks, staring, positive that the sun was playing with her vision.
The three tauren lay on the ground, obviously dead, and Navarrogg was no longer in his cage. Stepping closer to the scene, she saw three spilled goblets next to them, their contents emitting a faint smell that caused Faith's eyes to widen in horror.
They'd arrived too late, far too late…