Do not own SC or Warcraft characters. The orcs will show up in this one of course and I hope you understand the trolls' written dialogue. I'm trying to make this not very long-winded since these are traveling scenes.

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Chapter 6: On the Road Again

Mina practiced with her Zanbatou within an open area of the woods very close to the capital city that was Ashenvale. She figured it would be better to tone her skills the best that she could before she had to leave to the orcish camps; who would know when she and her companions would be 'accidentally' attacked by another group of orcs along the way.

This training session was based on balance as well as knowledge of the things around her, so thus she blindfolded herself for the influence of using her senses. Trying to bring her staff as close to her body as possible so that she can dodge her own swings more rapidly as she twirled her Zanbatou over her head between her fingers. She swiftly moved it to her sides and spun her Zanbatou from side to side.

She noticed that her weapon slowly became angled in her hand in a way that she wouldn't have wanted and, fortunately with her fast reflexes that grew with each painful mistake that she made in the past, stopped her Zanbatou from whacking her square in the face at a fast speed by using the palm of her hand and stopped it when it was merely inches from her nose.

She sighed slightly in relief and began to spin her Zanbatou around her again.

"Hmm, nice save." Mina heard someone speak to her back corner and seemed to be a fair distance away by the volume of their voice. The voice was one that sounded a little familiar but Mina couldn't put her finger on who it was.

'It isn't Taki's; Taki's voice a little deeper than hers.' Mina noted in her head. 'And by this woman's voice she sounds older than Sophitia.' Mina didn't want to take her blindfold off until she could pinpoint where the person was by waiting for her to speak again.

"Want to try testing your ears a bit more?" The woman spoke in an implying voice. Mina whipped her head around to where she believed the person was only to hear a quick 'shink' sound coming from where the woman seemed to be. Mina's eyes widened beneath her blindfold and her body tensed as she heard what sounded like a boomerang or possibly a set of daggers spinning towards her.

Not having time to take the blindfold off, she took her Zanbatou in both hands and swung it from one side to the other, trying to hit at the place where the spinning noise was strong. She felt the force of the object as it hit a side of her Zanbatou and listened as it hit and bounced upon the ground. Mina exhaled slowly, keeping her position in place.

"Humph, luck I'm sure." Mina heard the woman speak simply. "I want to try three this time." Mina tensed again as she heard the 'shinks' again and the spinning sound that was louder than before. Mina did the same method to defend herself only she swung more times. She felt one hit her blade, the second hit in between her hands and the third hit didn't hit her weapon but just the top of her shoulder.

Yelping at the quick burning sensation as the object cut her shoulder, making her grip her shoulder slightly. Tearing off her blindfold she looked at the person in annoyance for intruding and giving her a wound, although it was small.

A Night elf sat upon a tree limb, letting her side lean against the tree as her small leaf-like cape draped behind her. Her hair was long and very straight and seemed to be pushed back by the small, plum colored helmet with white vine-like waves she wore on her forehead and covered the sides of her face, some of her cheeks and her nose bone. Her face and complexion were quite slender.

"Not bad overall, you just have to try and not be so tense; it takes your focus away." She noted simply as she smiled faintly. Mina narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"And who may I ask are you and what did you throw at me?" Mina asked in a rather demanding voice. The woman's smile widened as she slipped off of the limb and walked over to Mina, crossing her hands over her chest.

"I will be accompanying you to the Orc encampment. What I used are called moon glaives." Naisha pulled out a purple metal ball with gold spirals on its flat sides and laid it in the palm of her hand. She pressed into the center releasing three small blades that circled the ball. "They're quite handy when you throw more than one at a time." She noted simply. "I'm Naisha Nightshadow." Mina raised an eyebrow.

"Oh so you're the one that that psycho woman Maiev was raving about." Mina noted aloud. Naisha pulled back as if she was stunned at how Mina described her.

"Psycho woman?" Naisha looked up as if she was trying to think as she crossed her arms over her chest. She closed her eyes and laughed slightly as she brought her head back down. "Yeah, I guess Maiev can be a little high-strong and quick tempered at times and loves to intimidate people but she wouldn't likely kill you if you're not a demon." Naisha smiled reassuringly. "Believe me, I've been with her long enough to know that underneath that hunk of armor she always wears is a heart full of compassion." Naisha spoke as if she had no doubt if what she believed about Maiev.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "The trick is finding it, eh?" Mina smiled slightly at her comment. Naisha kept her smile but looked down at her feet briefly as if she didn't find it so amusing.

"Well once you've spent enough time with her you'll understand." Naisha noted simply.

"Yeah but I won't be the one spending time with her; my friend Taki is." Mina assured as if she was relieved, but became worried as the personas of Taki and Maiev. "Of course she can have a temperament as well so I'd better pack some war helmets for us when the two of them begin to feud." Mina noted to herself as she looked to the corner of her eye in thought, which was interrupted by Naisha's laughter.

"If you say so." Naisha giggled. "Where is this Taki anyway? I haven't met her yet." Naisha placed her hands behind her back. Mina sighed.

"I myself don't even want to know after she went out last night with my other friend Sophitia. I haven't seen them since. So I'll just wait for them to show up, I suppose." Mina raised an eyebrow to herself as she left to go back into the capital, hearing Naisha's footsteps following behind her.

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Jaina, Tyrande and Maiev observed their mass of warriors from into an army of three hundred ready for the toughest of travels from the top of the staircase of Tyrande's ziggurat. Tyrande had a proud look on her face as she watched her sisters form into their proper lines, thinking what a pride-filling sight this is to watch your own sisters grow and prepare themselves for an honorable battle, to be willing to sacrifice their lives for the good of others, even though killing isn't the issue when going on these trips in the first place.

Jaina watched with eyes that shifted between the warriors and the horizon, taking in the view of the mass of woods around her as the tops of the trees reflect the sun's light as she gripped her staff tightly in her hand as she leaned upon it.

Maiev wasn't really paying all that much attention in the matter either way. She stared at the warriors with no hint of emotion in her eyes except slight annoyance. Why she had to go on such a menial mission of going to the Orcs encampment to ask for an alliance she didn't know. It just all sounded so stupid and dishonorable to her to ask for aid from a race that was originally their enemy, it just made her feel as if her own race couldn't survive on their own. But that wasn't the major issue that was on her mind, the major issue was Naisha.

'Great... just what I need, for Naisha, my personally sentry and my... my best friend since childhood to be stuck with a human. That Taki looked like an annoyance and a smart-ass when the glared back at me. At least Naisha isn't stuck with her I suppose. That other girl looked a bit respectful of people's space when I looked at her, so I guess I have nothing to worry about.' Maiev thought as she folded her arm over her chest stubbornly and closed her eyes briefly. 'Just why humans of all races?' She complained to herself.

"The warriors will be split into two groups; two-hundred on the first and one-hundred on the second. Shandris will lead the group of one-hundred to the Blood elves near the human cities along with Sophitia. Maiev, Taki, Naisha, Mina and Jaina, you five will lead the two-hundred to the orcs." Tyrande explained, not taking her eyes off of her warriors. Maiev blinked as her train of thought was interrupted and resumed her face of annoyance.

"Where are the three humans anyway? They should've been here long ago." Maiev noted impatiently as she looked to the side, away from the other two next to her.

"Have patience Maiev, they haven't forgotten. They're coming as we speak." Tyrande replied simply. Maiev instinctively looked down the ziggurat staircase and noticed that Mina was walking up with Naisha at her side.

Mina watched the other warriors prepare themselves during their endless ruckus and talking with awe at the size of the party as she walked up the staircase. She never thought she'd be joining travels with hundreds of elves.

She smiled as soon as she saw Tyrande and Jaina's greeting faces but could only half-smile while trying to be polite to Maiev, who looked at her in a face that showed slight scorn. Maiev's face suddenly changed to a welcoming smile as she turned to Naisha, who smiled back in the same fashion.

"Have any problems yet with your..." Maiev stopped and closed her eyes almost tightly as she felt her cheek twitch as if saying what she was trying to say was hurting her inside, even though the word was 'partner', it was a word she never thought she would say when it's in relation to Naisha.

"No. No problems." Naisha finished simply, saving Maiev from anymore looks of discomfort. She made sure that she stood in between Mina and Maiev. "You shouldn't worry yourself so much." Naisha spoke as if she was slightly concerned for Maiev.

Maive raised an eyebrow at her beneath her helmet. "I don't worry myself; I just have a right to be concerned you know." She leaned towards Naisha slightly as she spoke in a low voice.

"Well then don't over concern yourself." Naisha raised an eyebrow in return but giving a faint smile.

"Looks like your friends are back, Mina." Jaina spoke up as she looked out toward the crowd. All five immediately turned to find the two walking around the mass of talking warriors, hand in hand. Taki led Sophitia to the staircase, both glanced at the sight of all the warriors that gathered so fast since last night or possibly that morning.

Their finger-entangled hands didn't let go even after they had reached the staircase, they didn't want to. Waking up next to each other and in each other's arms was one of the best things either could do to make the morning worth waking up to. Taki turned and flashed a smile at Sophitia, who gladly returned it.

Sophitia laughed slightly every time that the memory of trying to fully awake Taki by the stream's water and flicking it at her with her foot came to her, especially when Taki jumped at the feeling of water hitting her skin.

"A bit late, aren't we?" Maiev spoke cockily with her arms crossed as she watched the two as they strode up the last few steps of the staircase.

"We just slept in a little longer than we would've hoped." Sophitia answered before Taki could with a cocky remark, knowing that Taki would do that after noticing that Taki's arm started to tense slightly. "Do we really need so many warriors?" Sophitia turned to Tyrande, knowing that she would be the one who'd organize this.

"Of course, there are many hostile creatures within these and surrounding woods, barons and mountains so you can never have enough." Tyrande explained simply. "They seem to be ready, so whenever you are ready you can head off; I need to stay here being the only high ranked person to watch over the capital." They all looked down to see that all the warriors were now neatly arranged in lines. Taki and Sophitia looked at each other gloomily.

"It's only going to be a few days, the tasks aren't that hard." Taki noted in a low voice so that the others wouldn't eavesdrop as she squeezed Sophitia's hand tighter. Sophitia returned it as she let her head rest on Taki's shoulder.

"Yes... but like the first day wasn't hard enough." She noted as she closed her eyes and leaned onto Taki's body a bit more. Taki wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her hand to brush away Sophitia's bangs and extra strands of hair behind her ear. Tyrande sighed silently at the spectacle of the two humans, feeling their pain; knowing it quite well. She had an idea to help but she had to be there to summon it. Her gaze softened as she looked to the cracks within the stone of the ziggurat.

"Let's not waist time and get this over with." Maiev spoke up as she hurried down to her group of Watchers. The rest, including Naisha and Jaina sighed and headed down to their groups.

By the time Sophitia and Taki came to their groups Taki reluctantly let go of Sophitia's waist. Sophitia raised her hand to Taki's chin and brought her lips down to touch hers. She felt Taki wrap her arms around her waist again but tighter as she wrapped her arms around her neck and shoulders, feeling Taki's kiss deepen. Taki ran a hand up and down her back, she felt oblivious to the other elven warriors surrounding them as she tilted her head and kissed more tenderly, leaning into Sophitia's softness.

"Ahem." Taki and Sophitia's eyes snapped open as they realized that they were being watched and hastily yet reluctantly broke apart. Next to them was a woman with light-aqua hair and wearing a cloak but had her hood down, showing her long ears. She had a long, beautifully crafted bow with a glowing blue string at her side. She smiled and raised an eyebrow at them. "Which one of you is Sophitia?" The woman's eyes followed Taki's pointing finger, she turned to the golden-haired girl. "I understand that you're going to be my 'partner'. I'm Shandris Feathermoon, I hope you're ready."

"I am, just give me a few minutes please." Shandris could see the glint of hope in Sophitia's eyes and nodded as she turned to the head of the group. Sophitia turned to Taki and kissed her briefly on the cheek. "Hurry back." Taki kissed her on the forehead in return.

"I plan to." Taki lifted Sophitia's hand and kissed the very finger that held her gift; Sophitia smiled brightly as she did so and kissed her lips briefly for the last time.

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'Damn teleportation... I thought I lost him.' Sylvanas folded her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes in a pout as she walked through the dark forests. The necromancer walked right behind her with a grin on her face knowing how annoyed he made Sylvanas by popping up in front of her after she'd stopped.

"Sorry for disappointing you Sylvanas. I hope that you've found a better way for finding the person we're after then looking around aimlessly, our Lick King would not be pleased with your enthusiasm." He noted warningly. Sylvanas turned her head towards him but just enough for him to see her nose poking out of the hood.

"Do you really think I give a damn about him and what he thinks of me?" Sylvanas spoke harshly. "And why don't you help a bit in trying to find this person? Try and sense if there are any other outsiders around that might tell us of her whereabouts." Sylvanas suggested as her voice slowly calmed itself.

"Isn't it a bit of a long shot to try and sense where all the outsiders may be and asking each where this person may be?" The necromancer raised an eyebrow thinking how idiotic the idea sounded as if he thought Sylvanas was an amateur at tracking.

"How many outsiders come to Azeroth every day? Tell me that." She spoke as if she knew she had a point; it was very rare for a human from the outside world to waltz in and live. Sylvanas was answered with the necromancer's silence.

"Alright, let's just stop for a moment so that I can focus more deeply." The two stopped, Sylvanas didn't take the time to turn to him completely; she just turned her head slightly to hear his answer.

The necromancer's eyes became still and distant as he dived into his own trance, his eyes swimming into an endless haze of black and ghostly white at the corners of his eyes. Cloudy forms slowly formed in front of him as his eyes circled them at random paces. The background slowly showed itself but remained in a dimmed color. One figure took its color of a red female body and black hair, her arms bent behind her head and walking through the woods, look into it aimlessly. She stood next to an elf with broad armor, long hair and a helmet.

"Exactly how far is this encampment anyway? If you don't mind my asking that is." The black-haired woman asked in a shadowy voice, not turning to the elf. The elf looked at her briefly then fixed her eyes back on the path ahead of her.

"About a four day walk, it's just before Razorfen Downs. Why do you ask?" The elf raised an eyebrow.

"Just wondering." The black-haired woman spoke plainly with a silent sigh. "And how far is where Shandris and them going from where we are?" The elf looked up to the skies with a sighed as if she knew why the woman dressed in red was asking all these questions.

"A two and a half days walk." The elf stated plainly, and paused. "Don't tell me you miss that other outsider already! Do you know how pathetic that is?" She complained as she turned back to the woman in red with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, how would you know? You look as though you've never been in love before." She spoke in defense. The elf just looked at her in silence, not knowing how to speak in her defense. "You just don't know what she'd capable of; she's has more strength than you think. She shattered one of the Soul Edge blades and that is an incredible feat for any warrior to do." She continued to speak in what seemed to be her love's defense.

"And you know this how? By a rumor?" The elf chuckled as if she didn't believe her. The black-haired woman looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"I witnessed it!" The human yelled in defense. The elf just looked at her plainly, then turned to look back towards the path. The cloudy figures slowly dispersed as the necromancer guided himself out of his trance. Finally landing into his original place behind Sylvanas and the darkness slowly leaving his eyes as the feeling of his limbs came back to him.

"Well?" Sylvanas as rather impatiently. "Did you find out anything?" The necromancer took in a deep breath.

"I've gotten a piece of information about a girl who shattered a blade of Soul Edge, perhaps she is the threat to us since Nightmare seems to have the other blade. She isn't where Arthas informed us." The necromancer informed.

"Do you know where this girl is then?" Sylvanas asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing that this may be more difficult than she thought. The necromancer paused feeling like a fool for not digging deeper for information and impressing Sylvanas.

"No, that information I wasn't able to receive. The woman that I saw in my vision gave the information of the girl." He explained. Sylvanas sighed in annoyance.

"Fine... Then do you know where this woman is?" Sylvanas' annoyance showed itself through her voice.

"Yes, their heading to the Orcs' encampment, before Razorfen Downs. The woman seemed to have feelings for our target. What? Do you want me to pry into her head to find out where the girl is?" He flattened out his beard and spoke as if he didn't believe that she would even go that far.

"Actually, yes." Sylvanas grinned evilly. "I need you to pinpoint where this girl is."

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Sophitia shifted her bag on her shoulder; the weight of both her weapons on one arm was difficult but kept pressing on, being semi-used to the weight.

"Is the terrain ahead of us a tough one to cross." Sophitia asked, just out of curiosity.

"Not very, we have a three day walk ahead of us." Shandris spoke simply. Sophitia sighed slightly, trying to ease her tensing muscles on her back. "So uh..." Shandris started but didn't know how to continue. "You and that other human are... erm, pretty close, aren't you?" She asked out of no where. "What do you see in that Taki woman anyway?" Sophitia raised her eyebrows at that question, wondering why someone completely different then her would wonder such things.

"Well..." That was a question she really didn't know how to answer, but wanted to. "She's just so beautiful and special to me, and I love watching her fight she's just so fast and mysterious, it's just so fun to watch." Shandris could tell that she was getting into this as a rather naughty smile spread across Sophitia's face as she was lost in thought. Sophitia ran a hand through her hair. "She makes things come out of me that I never thought I could do before."

She stopped as her eyes went wide as she realized what she said out loud and with the addition of the uncontrollably sultry voice. She looked to her side hoping that not too many people heard that but to see an archer looking at her in the corner of her eye and her mouth slacking a bit, but when Sophitia caught her gaze the archer fumbled for a place to fix her eyes upon as she cleared her throat.

"Oh gods, this is a wonderful way to start my reputation to this race." Sophitia whimpered in a low voice as her hand dragged across her forehead in aggravation and embarrassment. She heard Shandris snigger next to her.

"Have difficulties keeping your emotions within your head, eh?" Shandris raised an eyebrow while a grin spread across her face.

"Yes that happens to me often, it can become annoying as you may well notice." Sophitia replied with a sigh, hearing Shandris reply with a laugh. Sophitia thought it would be best to change the subject. "So you know the way to this Kael'Thalas?"

"Actually no; Tyrande just showed me the direction of where they may be. I've never personally had relations with blood elves before so I don't exactly know the way." Shandris spoke plainly as if not knowing the way to someplace was an everyday thing to her. Sophitia just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh... well... that's reassuring." Sophitia spoke sarcastically just to poke fun at Shandris for making Sophitia speak her deepest thoughts in front of some of the archers. Shandris raised an eyebrow at her, making Sophitia hold in a smirk.

"It's not like I'm going to lead us off of a cliff because I don't know the directions, but there are many merchant shops around these forests and surely we'll find a map in one of them." Shandris informed rather defensively.

"Okay, if you say so, I just hope you know the way to the shops." Sophitia spoke in a sarcastic tone again. Shandris gave her a look that clearly said 'smart-ass' making Sophitia laugh in reply.

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Taki and Mina noticed how the landscape of the forest was slowly changing from lush grass soaked with puddles and fully grown fir trees to hard, sandy grounds with less and less moistness in the air and the trees with fan-like trees, almost like palm trees when looked at in a certain angle. The coolness of the forest was slowly left behind the further they went into the mountainous regions of these dry lands underneath an amber colored sun that is close to being hidden behind the jagged mountains.

"Huh, we've traveled quite a ways in a single day." Naisha noted as her eyes skimmed across the mountain and tree tops. She took her normal leisure of riding her, what looked like to Mina, a big mountain lion with black fur and golden eyes. Naisha let her shielded arm fall to her side, seeing that there appeared to be no sign of a threat nearby. "I'd say our four days have decreased to three."

"I'm surprised that we seem to have come this far after Taki and Maiev had refused to stop bickering." Mina spoke up as if she really was surprised. She and Naisha agreed to walk in between Taki and Maiev in hopes of silencing them for the majority of the trip.

"Our disputes are really none of your business, human." Maiev spoke over her shoulder and passed Naisha. She had a very 'high-and-mighty' tone in Mina's view, but she remained silent.

"That goes double for me." Taki suddenly said as she leaned over slightly to the Korean next to her. Mina raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, there's one agreement." Mina turned to Naisha, who laughed within her throat. Naisha stopped short as she realized that Maiev wasn't even paying attention, staring at the ground in front of her.

"Something wrong, Maiev?" Naisha leaned towards her commander. Maiev didn't take her eyes off of the ground.

"There are tracks made from the orcs on these sands." Maiev noted simply, although had an eye of suspicion as her eyes followed the dull, innavigable trails.

"Oh good, that means we're getting close." Mina said in a bright tone as she looked about the sandy floor ahead of her for more tracks.

"Yes, but perhaps too close, I'm guessing that the orcs wouldn't be this close to Ashenvale?" Taki said in a rather low voice much like how Maiev's was. Maiev nodded at Taki's thoughts. Mina raised an eyebrow at this and turned to Naisha and Jaina, who walked behind the two.

"Wow, a second agreement and on one day! I'm impressed." Mina stated in a low voice so that only the two closest could hear. Naisha and Jaina chuckled. Maiev suddenly shouted over her shoulder to her Watchers.

"Asha-seraphin, sisters!" She watched as her warriors all gave looks and nods of obey.

"That means what?" Mina leaned over to Naisha, who shifted her view to the skies again in thought, trying to find a translation. She leaned down to Mina and spoke in a low voice.

"Basically 'stay on your guard'." She explained simply.

"I don't think we need to worry too much, Maiev. I don't think that a group of orcs or trolls would recklessly attack us." Jaina suddenly spoke from behind in a soft tone.

"I know that you're the only human that Thrall trusts the most, but this is about the other orcs who might not think the same way." Maiev explained, not lifting her eyes to Jaina's.

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"Ha! I knew it!" After a few hours of silence and walking upon pebble paths Shandris finally spotted a merchant shop. Sophitia just smirked; she knew that they would find one she just liked to pick on Shandris for a bit as payback.

"Well? Want to go check to see if there are any maps within?" Sophitia raised an eyebrow as if to say 'what are you waiting for?'. Shandris just raised an eyebrow and gave a faint smile in return as she turned to her warriors and raised a hand for them to stop.

"Asha-seraphin my warriors! Stay and remain alert while I attend to businesses needed for our travels!" Shandris shouted so that all her warriors could hear. They continued to watch as well as talk amongst themselves as they waited for their leader to return. "Want to look with me? Since you want a map as much as I do." Sophitia nodded and followed Shandris into the hut-like shop with two floors and a roof made of straw. The outside made it look like the inside was roomy but it was really rather cramped, it was luck for them that they could fit in well enough to walk normally. Shandris walked ahead of her, looking for rolled up parchments that may be maps.

"Where's the merchant?" Sophitia asked as she realized that their seemed to be nobody else around besides her and Shandris.

"What'cha need?" As if on queue, a slightly high pitched and raspy voice spoke behind her. Sophitia turned around to see that nobody was standing behind her. She felt something tug on the hem of her skirt.

"Ahem. Down here." Sophitia looked down to see some sort creature with a long nose and dark, wrinkly skin and redish-brown eyes. His hair looked like the short horse-hair style of her Greek helmets; dark blue hair stuck up from its head and stretched in a straight line going from his forehead to the back of his head and between his pointy ears, with seemed to be a bit shorter than the elves'. The only article of clothing it wore was a white and red cloth that wrapped around its waist, exposing only the outer sides of its legs. Sophitia sputter and pulled back at the sight. She looked down at her skirt and quickly pulled it back against her thigh, fearing that it was so short that it might be able to see up her skirt.

The creature smiled at the corner of his mouth, revealing small fangs. Sophitia felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry; it's just a merchant goblin." Shandris explained. Sophitia was still a bit stunned at the creature's strange appearance that she didn't speak, she just stared at it. "We're looking for maps, one to a place around the Dalaran Ruins. Do you have any?" Shandris asked the troll. The troll rubbed the tips of its thin fingers against his chin in thought.

"Maps eh? I'm da few who's gettin' dese maps so you're 'n luck." The goblin spoke in his strange choice of dialogue as he weaved his way between the two's legs, not caring that both of them jumped to get out of his way. He made his way up to his wooden counter, which was tall and had a small-step wooden ladder with one step that was broken that led to the top of the counter and on the side of that was another ladder to the high shelves of books, scrolls, inks and much more.

On the walls hung cloaks, weapons and armor, and what would've been a bookcase had many differently shaped vials of liquids and potions upon its shelves. "Cou'ja give me a hand 'er two? I been meanin' ta fix dat dere step fer days." Sophitia hand trouble understanding him, but Shandris obviously didn't as she lifted the small troll by his sides with his skinny legs wagging about frantically in the air as his feet left the ground and landed them on the counter top as he balanced himself. "Da probl'm is dat I'sa ain't tall enough ta reach't an' fix 't me'self." He explained as he walked over to the next step ladder and walked across the high shelf, not caring how height he was from the ground. "Dalaran Ruins right?" He asked again and he went through the stack of scrolls.

"Yes, that would be good enough." Shandris replied as she watched him go through the stack as he mumbled to himself.

"A'ight let's jus' see wha' I have 'n ma inventory." He spoke to himself, each scroll that he finished looking through ended up being tossed over the side and hitting the wooden planked ground below. "No... no... map o' Silverpine Forest-no, map o' da Barrens-no." He lifted another scroll and looked at it with eyes of confusion as he looked at it at different angles, then he finally read the title of the scroll. "Blueprints ta makin' da Goblin Shredder? Oh! Oops." The goblin tucked the scroll behind him and looked down at the two with a nervous smile. "Sorry, but dat ain't fer sale, heh heh."

"It's okay, just find the map to the ruins, we're kind of in a hurry." Sophitia spoke up behind Shandris. The goblin nodded and continued to search. After a few more scrolls being tossed to the floor, the map was finally found. He raised it high above his head in triumph as he came down and told Shandris the cost of two-hundred pieces of gold. She handed over the gold and the two were finally off.

"'Cha rem'mber ta come back now!" He hollered as he waved his hand frantically as they walked out the door.

"That was quite the experience." Sophitia noted with a smirk. Shandris laughed at that comment. "It's getting pretty dark out." Sophitia looked to the purple and red sky.

"Yes, I suppose we should stop here. Well actually a little further from here." She corrected herself as she turned back to the merchant's hut. Sophitia chuckled slightly.

Going a few miles away from the hut and ending up close to the east side of a lake known as Lordamere Lake, they finally stopped inside of a forest with semi-dry grass and little debris scattered here and there around the forest. Shandris figured that they would end up having a day and a half left of traveling to the ruins since Dalaran was on the other side of the blocking mountains.

"Too bad your warriors as well as us have to sleep on these hard grounds." Sophitia noted as she leaned herself against a tall but not very full cedar tree. Shandris turned her head sharply towards Sophitia, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't see very much of our race did you? You don't know about our Ancients?" Shandris sounded surprised as Sophitia's eyebrows lowered in confusion.

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A few days had finally passed with nothing eventful for the group of two-hundred warriors and their five leaders, despite how Maiev thought about the strangeness of the orcish tracks. Taki, Mina, Jaina and the Night elves came before the wooden gate and towers of the orc encampment. There was nothing knew at to look at for Mina and Taki besides the towers of smoke coming from inside the encampment and what sounded like brute men training for battle. The tall, wooden gate was guarded by two strange creatures; choppy, wooden complexion, pale blue skin, long burning red hair that was shaped like the long horse-hair Greek or Roman helmets and what looked like tusk-like teeth. They held long spears which were immediately brought up to their chests in defense.

"Wha'chu won'? Wad's de reason fo' ya trespassin' dese grounds elf?" Maiev was about to reply but was interrupted as Jaina came forward holding the letters to both her and Tyrande. The two let down their guard as they slightly recognized this sorceress from the last escapade they went through with another orc warchief called Grom Hellscream. She gave the letters to the guard to the left of the gate.

"Thrall asked for us to come, we wanted to discuss his matters as well as ours to him personally. You may remember me as Jaina Proudmoore?" Jaina hoped that they would remember her, it would make things easier to get along with the other orcs. The creature raised his eyebrows as his memory of the sorceress slowly came back. His eyebrows when to their original, fearless state.

"Fine. I'let ya pass." His gaze wandered over to the arm of Night elves. "Bu' if we see one a ya elves pullin' dose tricks on us; goin' all invisible in da night and speakin' ya weird language 'n da ghostly fashion widin da trees, you get booted out. Got 't?" He raised an eyebrow at Jaina and the other elves as if he already didn't believe their answer.

"Of course, I and even the elven leaders will make sure our warriors stay in order, if indeed need be." Jaina assured. The creature took his fixed beady eyes off of Jaina and pushed open the gate to reveal what looked like several Indian tepees, only had sharp horns coming out at the corners and had hard roofs. The smoke appeared to be coming from the smith and carpenter shops. Several small houses with red roofs and dozens of horns were scattered around the outer area within the wooden walls of the encampment while the very center had what looked like one of the small houses only eight times bigger and seemed to have more than one room by the looks of the general architecture.

Taki and Mina followed the crowd, Jaina mostly since she seems to have a talent for calming orcs, which mixed themselves about the encampment, catching eyes with either the humans or the elves. Some actually showed expressions of being threatened, but after noticing that the gate wasn't knocked down and that the guard trolls let them in then the intruders must have a good reason for coming to such a remote and dry land.

Jaina showed the others the way to the main building, knowing that Thrall would be inside. They were stopped again by two brute-like bare-chested orcs. Jaina used the same method that she used with the trolls and the guards, although suspicious, let them pass into a large bar. The others were surprised that they had to meet with a chieftain in the middle of the bar, but Jaina led them to a big black door of the back room with a sliding eyepiece, no doubt to ask for reasons of disturbing their beloved chieftain.

Jaina knocked three times and folded her arms and shifted the weight on her legs as she waited for the reply. The rectangular door to the eyepiece slid open with a pair of dark brown eyes looking down at them.

"A human?" The guard laughed slightly at the sight before him. "Humans and elves want to see our chieftain? Chuckle What business do you have with our chieftain? Oh, wait, I know you." The guard's eyes narrowed as a memory came to him. "You're that sorceress, the daughter of what's-his-name. Heh, the imbecile still fighting against our living beings? Ha! Haven't seen much of him lately; must be scared that he'll lose." He laughed so hard that he had to rest his forehead on the door and close his eyes slightly.

Jaina huffed and did something she didn't want to do, but did it in her father's name. She raised her staff and whacked it against the place where is forehead rested, making his head bounce back as he grunted and growled in pain and rubbed his forehead.

"I came here to see your chieftain, he sent a letter to me and wished to ask for something that has to do with protection against the Scourge's assaults. I didn't come here to hear my father be insulted, even if I don't believe in all of his wars against your race it doesn't mean that I'll sit back and listen to your words. Now let me pass." Jaina spoke in a rather demanding voice, making all the others stare at her in awe and surprise at her sudden defense.

The orc growled and pulled his hand away from his forehead forcefully. "Not with that attitude will I let you pass!" Jaina's eyes strained trying not to narrow. The others around her, exept Maiev who just watched the scene, knew that it would be a bad idea to piss off a sorceress but they were saved at someone walked up and pushed the guard out of the way.

"Let her through!" Spoke a deep, brute yet evenly-toned voice from behind the door. The door was opened by an orc with long black hair, most of it falling behind his back while the hair that framed his face were in ties. His armor covered almost all of his body except for his head and neck and on his brown leather and chain-like belt was a hammer that looked like a replica of the mallet that the Norwegian god of thunder, Thor held. His focused brown-red eyes gazed down at Jaina.

"Glad to see you've come, and in such vast numbers." The chieftain spoke, showing his large and rather sharp teeth. Jaina smiled as if she was welcoming him.

"Hey, no problem." Jaina replied with a simple shrug as Thrall stepped out of the way so that Jaina and her companions could enter his quarters.

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"Are you nearly ready?" Sylvanas asked impatiently. The necromancer threw a scowl at her as he brushed his robes with his hand. "We just made it to the orc's camp and you're already slacking in your attention-keeping skills." She stated as if she was serious.

"Ready with what? How do you think you can work your way into that camp and not be seen? You're not that swift." He stated as if he was actually concerned, which made Sylvanas raise an eyebrow. She sighed as she knew he was right in that respect.

"We passed by a graveyard on the way over here. You're right about my abilities, but what about yours?" Sylvanas turned her burning red eyes to the necromancer's green eyes as if she was waiting for him to get an idea of what she was talking about. "Why do it ourselves when we can call on an army to be your shield?" Sylvanas raised an eyebrow.

"My shield?" He folded his arms across his chest, knowing where this was heading.

"You know who the woman is so you need to go in, find her and dive into her head." Sylvanas explained simply. The necromancer looked down in thought, then nodded. "Good, now..." Sylvanas turned to the camp, watching the unsuspecting orcs pass through the camp freely. "Go awaken our fellow dead."

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The next one, you can tell, is a bit more action-packed so if this chapter wasn't your thing then the next one should certainly be. The whole Shandris and Sophitia thing isn't a Shandris/Sophitia thing. I wouldn't do that in this kind of a fic or in any kind of my fics for that matter. If you have difficulties understanding what the trolls and goblins and such are saying, tell me and I'll translate.

I know that the merchant shop scene may have been a bit long-winded to put in, but I wanted to try something with a bit of comedy in it and wanted to test out my troll/goblin dialogue writing skills, which I hope was okay, not in the understanding sense but in the Jamaican-sounding sense.

The trip to Kael'Thalas will continue in the next one. I just wanted to speed things up a bit so that you won't have to read through each day because it makes the story too long-winded and I know how annoying that can be and I'm trying to avoid that the best that I can. The orcish tracks will be explained in the next one.