The Tremor

"Guys, do we really have to do this?"

Hroki moved to stand in Athrodar's way when he tried to escape. "It's been our tradition for over twenty years, we're not going to break that because you want to spend time with Thalina."

"It's a stupid tradition that needs to change."

Instead of being offended, Hroki just laughed. "You didn't think so when you kidnapped us over the years." The Tauren glanced over to the youngest member of their group. "Besides, this is the first time for the kid. Be a good sport and see this night through, if not for us then for him."

Athrodar looked forward and towards Korg who was leading them, noticing a barrel under his arm. "You do remember that I don't drink, right?"

"Really?" Came the voice of Taylor from the back, sounding a lot more confident in speaking than the first time Athrodar met him. "Why not?"

The Death Ranger looked over to Hroki and Zun'ji. "Any of you want to explain?"

"He be dead, mon. Da dead don't drink."

"Or eat." Added Hroki, patting Athrodar on the back. "But that's not why he's here though. We also have a friendly competition between each other to see who's the best at fighting this year."

"The whole thing is made a lot easier now that I'm injured." Athrodar mumbled, opening and closing his right hand and feeling a sharp pain race through it. "But if there's no way around it, I won't be going easy."

"That's the spirit. Now enough talk, Charles is waiting for us down river."

The five of them continued to follow the stretch of river they found themselves walking next to, arriving at the small camp Charles had set up for them four hours after leaving. "I take it he didn't willingly come?" He glanced down to Athrodar's hand when the Death Ranger started to open and close it once again. Though he didn't speak up about it, he was a little concerned for the elf.

"If they arrived five minutes later, this would be a different conversation entirely." He glanced over to Hroki, giving him a slight glare. "Because they would be dead."

"Bah, stop complaining and sit down." Korg pushed him forward, picking up a wooden sword and throwing it to their youngest member. "Come on pink skin, show us what you have learnt over the past few months with us."

Taylor picked up the wooden sword from the floor, looking over to Zun'ji who stood on the opposite side of him with a wooden sword of his own. "This is hardly fair, he's a shaman."

"We use mak'gora rules of engagement. Weapons only, no shamanistic powers other than to bless your weapon of choice." Korg pointed towards the troll. "Which in this case, Zun'ji has an advantage."

Athrodar sat back as Zun'ji toyed with the human, deliberately not attacking him to make the fight last longer. Whilst everyone was distracted with the show however, he looked down at his right hand once again, this time seeing it shake a little on its own, stopping it by placing his other hand over the top of it.

When it was his turn to fight in their little tournament, they had already been there for an hour. "Ah, so my first combatant is my Captain." Athrodar bowed his head slowly to the Tauren standing opposite him with what could only be described as a tree trunk in his hands. "Two swords against.. that." He pointed to the wooden log in Hroki's hands with one of his swords, forgetting for a moment that it was his more dominant hand and watching as it shook a little.

Nobody else seemed to notice however, apart from Charles who had kept a closer eye on the General than the rest of them. He thought at first Athrodar was just not strong enough to pick things up, but after looking at his supposedly weaker hand, he noticed it didn't shake at all. "Five gold on Hroki." He whispered to Korg who sat by his side, placing the coins down in between them.

The orc looked down at the coins, placing five of his own down next to them. "Deal."

The four of them watched as both leaders of their former mercenary group fought with each other, Zun'ji placing five gold down on Athrodar to win whilst Taylor placed down all he had on Hroki, stating that he would win because he's bigger.

An interesting bet.

And one he would win.

"Well that was hardly a contest." Stated Athrodar as he picked up his sword from the ground. "Facing me whilst I'm at my weakest."

Hroki let out a bellowing laugh, mostly spurred on by the half a keg of wine he had drunk already. "You could have said no, yet you wanted to fight."

Athrodar placed a hand on his side, noticing it felt a little damp and checking his hand. "Thinking about it, you might be right." He sat down by Zun'ji, knowing that the shaman could heal him, albeit not as effectively as someone who had experience in healing.

"Da wound has opened up again." The troll shook his head, communing with the water elements to heal the wound, looking at Athrodar the whole time. "Dis be da one and only fight you be having, okay boss?"

"I couldn't agree more." He replied, clapping the troll on the shoulder once he was done. "Who's next?"

The rest of their tournament went on for another hour, Hroki winning the whole thing and claiming a keg of wine as his prize. Shortly after they celebrated his win, they sat around the campfire they made, Athrodar not keeping that much of a distance as Thalina had magically enchanted his clothes to keep him cool, no matter the weather. One of the many small spells she learnt just to make their lives easier.

Being the first time they had all been together like this since the last time they done this, they began to reminisce about older times and remembering those they had lost. Taylor didn't get to know those that had died on the Azerite island, or any of the fallen before his arrival to their company. "Like we do every year, I want you all to raise your flagons to those we have lost since we started this company." Athrodar began before listing off the usual names he had said over the years, as well as the more recent ones.

"May they rest with their ancestors." Korg said quietly, though loud enough for them all to hear.

Just as Hroki started to tell a story about one of their lost friends, Athrodar took a moment to step away, walking towards the river they followed to get here. As he found the body of water, he looked down at his hand again and noticed it was shaking slightly, opening and closing it when it had stopped.

"How long?"

He didn't have to look to know who had asked him, knowing just by the voice that it was Charles. "Since I arrived back home." He looked over to him. "Not joining in on the stories?"

The human chuckled, shaking his head. "It's the one about that gnome mage, what was his name?"

Smiling a little as he remembered the story, he let out a small laugh. "Manastorm. That was an eventful mission. Though my favourite part was when he began to hit on Elaria."

Charles chuckled some more. "I remember that. It was just the four of us back then. You, me, Hroki and Elaria. Our first big mission in fact." The two of them laughed some more as they recollected the mission, both looking down at Athrodar's hand when it shook again. "Does Thal know?"

"No. I even searched her head one time just to see if she did." He shrugged his shoulders when it stopped. "It just comes and goes, I have no real way of knowing when that is."

Charles watched his hand for a few more seconds, seeing it just resting by his side. "Do you think you can still fight like you could before?"

"I honestly don't know. I'm hoping it's only temporary, that it will go when I'm fully healed. But a part of me is thinking otherwise."

"Well, your secret is safe with me. That is until someone else notices." He beckoned him to follow. "Let's return to the others before they think we're not coming back."

Athrodar didn't respond, instead he just followed him back to the camp, seeing they were still laughing and drinking, except they had three newcomers with them. "Thal?"

She looked over to him and Charles, along with the two other newcomers Elaria and Jessica. "There you are. Hroki was just telling us about how he won a tournament just now against you all." She raised an eyebrow at him when he looked away slightly. "Something I hope you didn't partake in."

He frowned, looking over to the three women that seemed to appear from nowhere. "How did you three find us?"

"Elaria has been to all of these.. things.. as well as you, Hroki and Charles. She knows you normally follow a river until you find a good enough spot to set up camp."

Slowly nodding his head, he made his way towards the Magister, sitting behind her and watching as she moved back until she sat perfectly between his legs, leaning back against him and listening to Hroki as he continued his story. He looked over to Elaria who sat up against Hroki's arm, picking at her nails as the Tauren told the story. "How goes your search for that Warlock?"

The Night Elf stopped picking her nails and looked up at him before going back to it. "We have narrowed it down to somewhere on Azeroth."

He smirked at her. "Took you all of one week to figure that out?"

"Hey, it was either this planet or the two others the adventurers of this world have been to. Or is it three? Do we count Draenor and Outland as the same or different?"

Athrodar shrugged at her, placing an arm around Thalina. "Time Travel. So I suppose it's just down to interpretation." He looked down at his hand once more when Thalina took hold of it, noticing Jessica and Charles were looking at it as well. "I suppose there was no hiding it forever." He whispered to her when she too looked at it.

"When did it start?" She whispered back in Thalassian, limiting those who could understand them to just those two.

"When I woke up after being healed, back home." He replied, kissing her neck lightly and lingering there to look down at his hand with her. "Charles is the only one who knows." He glanced over to Jessica who tried to make it look like she watching, though the fact they locked eyes for a split second gave that away. "And I suspect Jess knows as well."

She rested her head against his so they were cheek to cheek, looking down at his hand in hers. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it comes and goes. Sometimes once every five or six hours, sometimes four in ten minutes." He watched as she raised his hand to her lips, kissing the top of it. "It's hindering my ability to wield a sword."

She turned around a little, looking back at him. "What are you saying?"

"I don't know how long I can keep fighting." He said quietly, as if it hurt him greatly just to utter those words.

Thalina lowered her eyes to his hand once more, feeling him squeeze hers a little. "Are you saying it may force you to leave the Horde and the war that's sure to come? Especially after Teldrassil."

"I am."

She sat forward once more, looking into the fire in front of her and knowingly increasing the rate at which the logs were burning. "You don't seem too thrilled about having to retire and spend the rest of your life with me."

He smiled a little. "I want nothing more than to be with you until the end of days. It's just the circumstances that are forcing me into this decision is what makes me unhappy." He kissed her neck again, lingering there once more. "Other than that, I would love to spend all day and night in bed with you."

Whilst the two of them had been talking to each other, Elaria had slowly made her way over to them, trying not to startle either one as if they were prey. "Although you've been talking in Thalassian this whole time," She began, keeping her voice low when she spoke. "I could see by the closeness you two are sharing that your conversation was not civilised."

Thalina looked away from the campfire, lowering the brightness of the flames as well as the rate at which they burnt in an instant, turning to face Elaria. "Eavesdropping now are we?"

She looked down at Thalina and saw her wry smile. "Maybe." She glanced over to Jessica who was once again looking their way. "There's a young mage that I believe wants to talk to you." She looked back at Athrodar who was now looking over at the mage in question. "She's been worried about the only father figure in her life for the past week. It's kinda driving me insane."

Athrodar waved her over, thanking Elaria in the meantime and telling her to leave, getting a scoff and a few mumblings from her in return. When the mage made it over to him and Thalina, Athrodar patted a spot next to him. "Sit down. Don't worry, she won't bite." He nudged Thalina a little, making her turn her head to face him. "Will you?"

Thalina looked at the mage who was slowly sitting down next to Athrodar before looking back at him. "We'll see."

"Ignore her, she won't do anything." As Jess sat down by his side he watched as she conjured a ball of ice in her hands. "I thought you were an arcane mage."

"I am, doesn't mean I don't know some frost magic as well."

As if trying to prove something, Thalina conjured a ball of frostfire in her hand, watching it turn completely into ice when Athrodar placed a hand over it. "Hey! No fair..."

"Stop trying to show off, she knows you're a more powerful mage." He shook his head at her sudden need to prove she's the better mage, looking back over to Jessica. "I need to know, how did you all manage to escape that island alive? Especially those of Alliance origin."

"Scout-Captain Selena." Jess looked towards Thalina who turned her head a little to listen in some more. "Elaria told her about what happen to Thalina, and that she wouldn't want any of the surviving members of our company to be killed." She smiled a little as she thought back to it. "We all survived because the Scout-Captain knew that to be true."

"I should pay her a visit." Thalina muttered, squeezing Athrodar's hand a little. The same hand she hadn't let go of since she saw it shaking. She turned her head to look back at him. "Can I speak with her, alone?"

Athrodar looked towards Jess who nodded back at him. "Alright, just don't go scaring her." He gave Thalina a quick kiss before joining the rest of the company who were busy drinking and sharing stories.

Just as he sat down beside Korg and Hroki, the Tauren nudged his arm and nodded over to Thalina and Jess who had already started talking. "Imagine that, the woman you treat like a daughter and the woman who's the mother to your real daughter are talking whilst you're over here."

Korg let out an orcish grunt, rubbing his chin. "And by the looks of it, they're smiling."

The three of them watched on for a couple more minutes whilst everyone else continued to drink, laugh and share the occasional story. It was only when Thalina had taken hold of Jessica's hands did Athrodar raise an eyebrow. "Okay, something is going on there and I don't know if I should be happy or worried."

Elaria tilted her head, joining in on their conversation. "I'd say happy? Judging by the fact they're now hugging." She watched as Thalina stood up, raising an eyebrow of her own when she began to walk over to the four of them. "Uh oh. She's coming this way."

Thalina had made her way over to them, stopping in front of Athrodar. "Come with me." She said, offering a hand down to him.

He took her hand, following her back towards Jessica who was looking up at the clear night sky. "What's going on here?"

Thalina walked towards Jessica, hooking an arm around hers. "We have been talking, as you may have guessed, and we both know you try to protect her like we both try to protect our daughter." She looked at the mage on her arm. "We've discussed a few things and we've come to an understanding."

Confused on what was being said, he frowned at the both of them. "I'm a little lost, what's going on?"

"I have offered our little mage here a permanent place in our new home once it's been rebuilt." She tapped the human's hand with her own. "And she has gladly taken me up on the offer. If that's okay with you."

"I don't know... A human living in Southern Quel'Thalas. That might draw attention."

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, my love." She walked towards him, turning around to face Jessica. "Though I may not know her, and she doesn't know me. I can see that you care for her as if she was our daughter." She took hold of Athrodar's hand, still facing the human. "So, yes. We will cross that bridge when we get to it." She shrugged her shoulders. "And who knows, maybe our actual daughter will welcome her as family too."

"I still don't know... Maybe if -"

"Please." Jessica interrupted, stepping closer to the pair of them. "I've got no home or family of my own. When this thing with Elaria and that Warlock she's looking for is done, I have no where to go."

Knowing the decision was already made for him, he nodded his head. "I can see this one," He kissed Thalina's forehead. "has already made the decision for me. Very well, our home will be open to you for as long as you want to stay."

Her smile brimmed from ear to ear, hugging him tightly. "Thank you! I know you aren't my real parents and I'm not your daughter, but you've treated me like I am family and I thank you for it." She loosened her grip on him, looking towards Thalina and hugging her next. "And you, thank you opening your home to me."

Thalina pulled the human off of her, looking at her fully. "Like he said, you are always welcome." She rubbed her arm, looking back at the rest of the camp. "Let's get back to them before they get the wrong idea."

Athrodar looked back at them, hearing Hroki, Korg and Elaria make kissing noises to him. "I think they already have."

Thalina looked over to them, suddenly realising something. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She turned to address Jess once again. "You're going to need something in order to come back here without having to walk through several different areas." She conjured a necklace for the human. Unlike the ones her and Athrodar had, this one was a ruby necklace, though the ruby was fake due to being conjured, with the Thalassian word for 'Home' etched onto the back. "Just focus on us and you will teleport home. Ours and yours." She gave the Human a warm smile before they headed back to the rest of the group.

The rest of the week went by quickly. Elaria and Jessica had left the day after they arrived, getting back to searching for the mysterious warlock whilst Charles, Korg and Zun'ji had headed off back to their homes for a while. Hroki and Taylor had stayed behind to keep an eye on Athrodar, though Thalina had suspected the human only stayed to be near Tanadia.

Athrodar's mood throughout the week had slowly been turning sombre as the tremor in his hand continued to make his life harder whilst making it difficult for him to aim his bow when he stood in front of several training targets. Whilst he still hit the majority of his shots, the ones that missed had frustrated him more than they really should have.

"He has been there for three days now, your daughter is getting worried."

Thalina nodded her head. "I know." She sighed, slowly making her way towards the ranger. "Athrodar, are you alright?"

He looked down at the arrow he nocked into his bow. "I'm fine." He aimed his bow, letting loose the projectile and watching as it just hit off the bullseye in the middle.

The Magister flinched when she saw it miss his intended target, knowing he would have hit it any day of the year. But due to the tremor in his hand, it was making it a lot more difficult to be precise. "You and I both know you're not fine." She placed a hand on his back, watching as he lowered his bow. "You've barely spoken in two days. You've been out here for three without taking a rest." She placed a hand under his chin, turning his head around until he faced her. "I know what's on your mind because it's been on mine too."

He dropped his bow on the ground, hanging his head low. "I don't want to be known as the General who was forced to retire due to an injury. I wanted to leave on my own terms."

Thalina pulled his head down until it rested on her shoulder, stroking his hair as soon as she pulled his hood down too. "You can still leave on your own terms. Nobody has to know about it." She kissed his ear and whispered into it. "We can go right now and tell the Warchief where she can stick her Horde."

Athrodar chuckled into her shoulder. "She says, in the middle of Horde territory." He lifted his head from her shoulder to look at her, nodding his head at the mage. "Let's go, I still need to talk to her about Teldrassil. May as well get that out of the way before I leave."

She kissed him lightly, turning around and summoning a portal to Orgrimmar. "Maybe her excuse could be the reason you leave, depending on what it is."

He placed his hands on her shoulders just as the portal materialised. "It won't be good, I know that."