Mythene peeked her head around the top of the stairwell, looking around for any sign of the previous sailors.
"I don't see anyone," She whispered, turning her head to look down at Zami on the stairs below her, "Shall we keep going?"
"Yeah," Zami nodded, "To da other passengers."
Mythene nodded, leading Zami up from the stairwell and onto the deck above the hold. The process took several careful minutes, but eventually they reached the weather deck. Many of the passengers were still mulling about in groups chatting, and a few crewmen ran about working the lines. Before they could stand out, the two of them moved over to stand near a small group of three blood elves, pretending to be a part of their conversation.
"Um, can I help you?" A black-haired female blood elf perked an eyebrow, looking at the two of them in disgust.
"How appropriate," A male blood elf with red hair sneered, "The two most unsavory races in Azeroth have become friends, apparently."
"Oooh, harsh, Kaelemar," The black-haired blood elf giggled.
"Why thank you, Daendrea, but I am merely stating the obvious," The male smirked.
"You're so observant, Kae-"
"Oh, would the two of you kindly stop with the flirting already?" The third blood elf, a blonde female, sighed.
Zami looked at her and his eyebrows rose.
"S...Syrise?" He cocked his head to the side, his dreadlocks falling against his cheek.
"Hm?" The blonde blood elf quirked an eyebrow at Zami, "Do I know you?"
"It's Zami. We, uh, used to work together?"
At hearing his name, the blood elf perked up, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.
"Zami, as I live and breathe!" She put a hand on her hip, "I can't believe it's you! Sheesh, what happened to your eye? I leave you alone for five minutes and you're already losing limbs, I see."
"Five minutes? More like five years."
As the two of them started to excitedly chatter, Mythene and the two other blood elves looked on in confusion.
"Um, sorry, but who is this disgusting troll supposed to be?" Kaelemar interrupted as he pointed at Zami.
"Hey! Mind your tongue," Syrise snapped, holding her arm out in front of Zami like she was his tiny defender, "The Sunwell as my witness, this guy saved my life several times, and you'll show him the proper respect."
She paused, glancing over at Zami.
"Even if he is a disgusting troll," She added with a grin.
"Hah, you think dat's bad, you gotta meet Mi'ten," Zami said as he gestured over to Mythene beside him, "She be my teacher."
"Teacher?" Syrise chuckled, "Now why would the great Zami need a teacher?"
"She teachin' me to be a druid."
"Druid? Are you kidding me?" Syrise perked an eyebrow, "Well, stranger things have happened. I mean, Jazax is an actual priest now."
Syrise then turned to Mythene, standing up straight with one foot behind the other and extending one hand towards her while the other was folded behind her back. It looked very formal, like how one would greet royalty.
"Syrise Duskstrider," She said as she took Mythene's hand and shook it, "Former Farstrider of Silvermoon City, currently employed by the Steamwheedle Cartel and in the active service of the Blackwater Raiders."
"Mythene Moonshadow," Mythene said as she forced a polite smile.
Mythene clearly looked uncomfortable to be shaking hands with a blood elf, but Syrise didn't seem to notice, or maybe just didn't mind. She was always tricky to read like that. Instead, she turned to Zami and slapped his shoulder.
"So what're you traveling to Booty Bay for? It wouldn't be to sign back up for the Cartel, would it? You know we could always use your knives again, Z."
Mythene perked an eyebrow curiously as Zami rubbed his neck, turning away from her a bit.
"Uhh, no," He cleared his throat, "Shapeshiftin' and druid stuff, ya know."
"Ah, well, me and the gang are coming back from a special pickup job. Ordered by the Baron himself."
"Movin' up in da world, huh?" Zami perked an eyebrow.
"Oh hardly," Syrise waved a hand dismissively, "We're as disposable as always. Now we just get more gold."
"Um, sorry," Mythene furrowed her brow, "What exactly is it you do?"
"The quicker answer would be what don't we do," Syrise shrugged, "We'll take any job so long as the gold is good. Anything from intimidation and petty theft, to arson and mur-"
"Okay, dat's enough of dat," Zami said loudly, speaking over top of Syrise, "I mean, who wants to talk bout work all da time? Let's talk bout somethin' else, yeah?"
Syrise perked an eyebrow at Zami.
"Are you saying that you're some kind of mercenary?" Mythene asked.
"Uhh, you know," Syrise shrugged, "I, um...forget?"
Mythene furrowed her brow suspiciously.
"You forget? I'm sorry, wha-"
"You know, Z is right! Who wants to talk about work?" Syrise clapped her hands together, "Let's head into the cabin! I want to show Zami my cool new bow!"
Before Mythene could say anything, Syrise was dragging Zami off into the cabin. As soon as the door shut behind them, Syrise turned to Zami with a suspicious glare.
"Okay, what's the deal?" She hissed, holding the door closed with her hand.
"Wh-What?" Zami blinked at her, "What deal? What'cha mea-"
"Oh don't you give me that, mister," Syrise wagged her finger at him, "Why are you being all weird?"
Zami furrowed his brow, rubbing his neck uncomfortably.
"Weird? What? I'm not-"
"Is it because of the night elf?" Syrise put her free hand on her hip while the other held the door closed, "Because the Zami I knew wasn't afraid of talking about what we did."
"I ain't afraid, I just-"
"What? Don't want the night elf to find out that you were a big bad killer who murdered people in cold blood for coin?"
Zami frowned and went to speak but Syrise continued.
"Why do you care what she thinks? You know night elves think they're high above everybody else," Syrise waved a hand, "That's why they live on that tall tree."
"Teldrassil," Zami nodded, remembering what Mythene always called it.
"Yeah, that. Why do you even know-nevermind. Point is, you do know you can't hide who you are forever, right? She's going to find out eventually, you might as well tell her yourself," Syrise glanced down, her green eyes staring at a spot on the floor, "It's just better if you tell them yourself, so they don't have to hear it from someone else. Trust me."
Zami went to respond but there was a shove against the door, nearly knocking Syrise over.
"You better not be getting kidnapped again, Zami," Mythene huffed, before pushing her way inside.
"Again?" Syrise perked an eyebrow and looked over at Zami, "Explain. Now."
Zami sighed and looked back at her flatly.
"Family."