This one may be a bit rougher than the rest. It sort of flowed out in one good session. I have been meaning to proof it a bit more but have yet to find time. If too bad, let me know and I'll fix.
On another note, if anyone is reading this, I would love a little feedback. I realize the humorous stories seem to be the most fun to read but I'd love to know if this piece has any merit. If the sytle it too akward I may scrap it a restart. The plotline definately works (or at least does in the long run) so I'm just wondering if the writting holds up. Actually any comments would be great. Thanks.


Ragebound Souls - Chapter 5

Searing Chase

Through a haze of pain and exhaustion, Tohma stumbled along the steep ridgeline. Every now and then he caught a glimpse of the hunter scouting ahead but mostly his companion was Zaebos. The rank hyena alternated between the roles of shepherd and tormenter. More times than the druid could count the shaggy brute had bumped him away from the edge of a cliff or turned him the right way to stay on the troll's trail. Equally as often, the foam flecked jaws had bitten down on fingers, ears and even his nose to rouse him after he had fallen. There would be no rest until they reached the mountain crest. "Just one more step," Tohma chanted silently to himself over and over again as he plodded ever upward.

Greymuck stopped at the base of a steep rise. Getting the big moose up it was possible but he was unsure how many more climbs were left in the druid. As much as he hated to admit it, the tauren was proving to be tougher than he would have given him credit for. Granted if the stupid ox could think on his feet he would have purged the poisons before they had a chance to ravage through his body. Still, given the amount of damage the toxins had done, not to mention the deep wound itself, the troll was grudgingly impressed that Tohma was still going. Greymuck wondered if it was just plain grit or did the cow know that falling behind was a death sentence. Even fully fit Zaebos and he could never have dragged the cow's huge bulk over the peaks and neither of them were anywhere near fit. The fight with the scorpid had torn several muscles and the burns on his hands and feet remained raw. The mutt was still limping and breathing shallowly. Greymuck hoped it was just bruises and not fractured ribs. They all need time to heal but until they reached the Badlands there was no safe place to hole up.

There were plenty of places in Kalimdor where it was far too perilous to stop but at least they were at the extreme north and south of the land. Azeroth, of course, had to lay its greatest threat right across the middle of the continent. One more reason Greymuck hated this land. "Someday!" he muttered under his breath. "Someday all of dis wretched land will fall inta da sea. Someday every last human will perish. Someday... and if der be a voodoo strong enough, I shore hope I be here ta see it. Well... as long as I don't need ta join dem zombies in Lordaeron dat is." The troll spent the next few minutes envisioning the sea smashing through Westfall and flooding the forests beyond. By the time Tohma caught up, the great waves in his mind were tearing down the walls of Stormwind. Had the druid not been barely conscious, the troll?s grin would have made him shudder.

To Tohma, Greymuck could have been juggling gnomes and breathing fire and he still would not have noticed. With a resounding "Whuf!", the giant humanoid toppled onto the troll's long blue toes.

"Oh fer cryin' out loud!" barked the hunter hopping backwards and nearly tripping over his pet. Zaebos eyed him balefully as the animal shuffled out from under his dancing master.

"Tink we gonna get him up again Boy?"

Zaebos merely rolled his eyes and promptly flopped down next to the tauren.

"Pah! Not joo too. Fine but we be movin? again in ten minutes."

Grumbling, the troll tromped away from the sprawled pair. He knew there was no way he was going to move either of those two for at least a half hour. This high up they should be alone but it would only take one more encounter to wipe out this mission. At least it would be until they reached the Searing Gorge. Though the spiders and dwarves ahead would still be quite a challenge, Greymuck knew they could be bested as long as he could keep them from closing with him.

For the next twenty minutes the hunter climbed, looking for the easiest route to the top. Reaching the summit Greymuck breathed a sigh of relief. They could camp here tonight. From this point they could reach the Badlands sometime in the following night, if the druid could keep up that is. Between the Dark Iron Clan and the steady stream of Alliance riders it would be unlikely if the trio were to find a safe spot to hole up between the two borders. Better to push onto the pass and then make a late start for Kargath the next day.

The only question was; could Tohma manage it.

Greymuck headed back to where he had left his furry companions and with a few well placed kicks got them moving once more. It took them an hour for him to regain the peak once more with the druid. Zaebos too was about done in and now Greymuck realized why. The hyena had been prodding and supporting Tohma consistently for the whole last leg of the trip. How long he had been doing so before then only the mutt knew. The tauren was delirious and Greymuck had been focused on their enemies not his allies. He let the two of them collapse once more and took over the camp details himself. Water might be an issue if they did not reach Kargath within three days but he knew they would never reach it at all if he didn?t get his companions back into reasonable shape once more. He forced roughly half of their remaining water into both the cow and cur. Food could wait until they were up on their own.

Next he groomed Zaebos. The hyena was carrying as much dirt and debris as the hunter wore in armor. The need for disguise was past. If anything Greymuck would want anyone they stumbled into to lock onto him and not the strickened druid or weary familiar. Using the bone combs he had made, the troll raked out the mats of tangled fur. A rain of sand and small chips of gravel was pulled from the wiry coat. While he worked he tested the bone and muscles beneath his long fingers for any deep damage. So far he had only found bruises. Sharing his life-force with the hyena returned almost all but the most negligible of the contusions to healthy tissue once more. Lastly he took a packet of ground sungrass and silversage out of his pack and worked it through the hyena?s coat. While it was not the same a good dunking, the herbs when brushed back out left Zaebos' smell nearly unnoticeable. It also left the hairy brute snoring contently.

"Joo sleep well boy. Tomorrow could be a bery rough day."

When sun reached them the world below was still hidden by shadows. Greymuck stretched and yawned. By his side Zaebos did the same, though with considerable more gusto. The hyena was back to his old self and ready to go. Tohma on the other hand still seemed far from recovered. His hands shook as he lifted the waterskin to his muzzle. Red broken veins rimmed his eyes and his wheezing gasps made even Greymuck flinch in sympathy. "He's neva gonna make it." the troll uttered under his breath. They had barely enough water as it was. If they rested the day and headed out tomorrow, it would mean they would reach Kargath long after their water was gone. That was something no hunter would ever stand for. A twisted ankle or wrong turn could mean life or death in the desert without water.

"Tohma, we canna stay here. I need ta know, can joo make de hike teday or no?"

"Where are we going?"

"Joo betta be kiddin me. To Kargath joo stupid ox!"

"I know Kargath, Greymuck. How far are we going to go today?"

"Oh why dinna say dat? Okey sit up. See how da sun is lighting the peaks to the east. Keep following dem peaks north. Now see dere that black gap way up dere. Dat is de pass to de Badlands. If we hoof it, pardon de pun, we could make it dere by nightfall. If we stop den we are gonna need to go twice as far cause dere ain't many safe spots in batween."

Tohma's gaze followed to where Greymuck was pointing and groaned. He could still feel the burning toxins in his blood. It was a vicious circle. He knew if he was not so weakened by the poisons he'd have the strength to fully purge them from his body but they would have to be purged for him to get strong again.

He gauged the distance in his head and knew he could make but if he did it would be well past sunset. "I can make it but not at full speed. At best guess I'd say sometime past midnight. I'll need to rest a couple times in that run as well so hopefully there will be someplace safe enough for a half hour at a time."

"Damn. Den we be sunk. See dat smoke dere. Dat be a dark iron dwarf camp. I was tinking dat if we booked it at full speed past it we might just fly by before de could react. Joo in no shape for dat. Even if joo could do it joo'd be spent for de rest of de trip."

Greymuck stared down at smog billowing from the malignant dwarves mine-site. Usually the destructive midgets stayed further to the east and as long as one stayed to the road it was possible to get past them without alerting them to your passage. Of course this one time the troll's usually unbelievable good luck was completely absent. The grey skinned little primates were building something made of pipes and timbers right along side roadway. No matter which line Greymuck lead them, they would stir up trouble. If he avoided the road and kept to the rocks on the left they'd be dodging the spiders for the next hour. The last think Tohma could handle was more venom. There was only way to pull this off.

He began to turn when Zaebos slammed into him.

"Dammit Mutt! Joo stay outta me head."

Even though he knew the hyena would not rip his face off, the deep growl that emanated from those massive jaws gave even the scarred hunter a bit of a pause.

"Dere ain't no utter way Boy. Joo gotta stay wit Tohma. If anyting get's on joo trail it be up to joo to keep it busy while he keeps goin. But before any o dat can happen I need ta clear dat camp."

Zaebos rumbled a second growl but it lacked the depth of the first. Greymuck knew his friend understood even if he didn't like it. With anyone else Greymuck wouldn't have given a flying fig but for Zaebos he waited. The heavy canine was crushing his hip but the hunter gave the beast the time it needed to accept the decision. Finally the hyena stepped off and walked up to Tohma.

The druid looked over at the shaggy brute and recoiled. Whatever bond he and the beast had slowly been forming was gone from the look the animal hurled at the him. There was no doubt in Zaebos' mind that it was the tauren's fault that he and his master were about to separate.

The strain of hyena's emotions in his mind fueled Greymuck's ever simmering anger "Okey Cow," he snapped. "When joo hit dat road joo keep goin. If joo loose Zaebos den joo gonna die if anyting catches joo, so don't stop unless joo sure joo in da clear. Joo got it?"

"I understand."

"Den let's head down."

After an hour of picking their way down the rocky slope, the three travelers stood at the edge of the northbound road.

"Okey dis is it. As soon as joo see dem rock apes start a running joo head north as fast as joo can. I'll be behind joo as soon as I can."

He stepped up onto the road only to find Zaebos right at his side. "Ja I know Boy. Dis ain't be my first choice o plans eider. Still I get da feeling dat we can?t just ditch da cow. I know joo feel da same so don't joo snort at me. Once we get ta Kargath we can dump him and head back to Brackenwall. So da sooner joo get him dere da sooner joo can get a bowl o whiskey and get jooself smashed."

Leaving the mournful hyena behind Greymuck angled his approach to keep the dwarves to his right. If all went well the whole pack of them would charge to him and so open the way for Zaebos and Tohma. Even though he was pretty sure that if he started riddling one of them with arrows they'd all stick up for the grubber, the hunter did not feel like taking any chances. Better to make sure the whole lot of them are madder than hornets personally.

He waited until the whole group of them began to lift a support timber together and then fired an enchanted arrow over their heads. In seconds the single arrow became two, then four, then sixteen identical missiles. A hail of arrows dropped down from the sky onto the squat dark iron clansmen. Most immediately reached to pull the sharp barbs from their flesh which of course overbalanced the huge wooden spar they were carrying. The beam smashed down on feet and toes while the deadly rain continued to fall.

Screaming with fury the dwarves drew their weapons and charged onto to be humiliated further. The lead attacker was so intent in rending the troll limb from limb he failed to notice the trap hidden in his path. With a rush of artic air, the tripped construct immediately coated the ground with a solid layer of ice. The thick leather soled boots of the dwarves, so perfect for shield one's feet from the scalding landscape, offered virtually no purchase at all on the glass smooth sheet below them. Greymuck nearly wet himself watching the bulky runts kick their stubby little legs as fast as they could on the slick coat of ice. Most of them landed on their rumps but a couple cracked right down on their potato sized noses and one did a perfect somersault and landed right on his head. There a few joys in life greater than watching a troupe of well disciplined foes come completely unraveled. "Like shootin fish inna barrel," Greymuck thought as he put a few more holes into a couple selected targets.

By now the dwarves were using their knives and picks to drag themselves across the slick, though one of the berserk midgets began to pull himself along by his teeth. Not wanted to get too far ahead the hunter let them come a little closer. Just as one was almost to the edge of the rime Greymuck let loose a concussive shot. The force of the bolt ripped the dwarf's knives out of the frost and cannoned him backwards. The grey pygmy careened off his companions like a pinball, his blades slashing his friends in the process.

As much as he would have loved to humble them further, the scarred hunter knew it was time to go. Bounding on his long legs the troll sprinted to the North West. Just in time too. He could hear the hammering of feet behind him. Every few yards Greymuck would leap, spin and fire off a shot at his attackers to keep them coming. He probably needn't have worried, the Dark Irons probably would have charged one of the Aspect dragons to get at the troll at that moment.

As none of the great beasts were available just then Greymuck settled for the pack of glassweb spiders that lurked on the stony tors ahead. With the howling dwarves right on his heels, the hunter leapt into the middle of the largest pack of the arachnids he spotted. The venomous predators turned on Greymuck but before any of them launched an attack the hunter fell to the ground stone cold dead. The dwarves would have gleefully torn him apart, dead or not, but the glasswebs, having lost one meal, were quite happy to lunch on dark iron blood instead.

In the brawl that ensued no-one noticed the corpse that had started it all had quietly slipped away.

Sitting on a tall rock about sixty yards away, Greymuck watched his handiwork. Unfortunately it looked as though the dwarves were going to win. If the spiders prevailed then he could just head east and catch up with Zaebos and Dumb-Bleeding Bull. The dwarves on the other hand might just be stubborn enough to track him down or, as hard as it is to stomach, smart enough to figure out that they had been lead away. If more than three survived Greymuck was in for a very long day.

When there were only two spiders left and four of the rock apes, Greymuck reentered the fray. Targeting the most wounded of the runts he began to fire his bow as quickly as he was able. Arrows ripped through the air so quickly that there were three shafts in flight at any moment. The dark iron warrior collapsed in a heap as the archer targeted the next dwarf. Between the arachnid and the troll the rock-grubber was taking a terrible beating but he managed to slay the spider. Greymuck noted that the last spider had also fallen silent. He dove off the rise just as the two remaining clansmen joined his target.

Now it came down to a matter of timing. Greymuck repeated his jumping and spinning assault all the while staying just ahead of his pursuers. If they managed to box him in or drive him into another foe he'd be done for. If Greymuck did not keep his attack up the runts would heal faster than he could kill them. If he outdistanced them they might head back too soon. "Let da chase begin." uttered the troll.

He almost lost them when the dwarf he had mostly been targeting fell to his knees. His companions turn to help him and Greymuck could read the failing resolve on their features. Using his most deadly skill the hunter unleashed the shot he had been saving for just such and occasion. The arrow slammed into the wounded one's forehead and as clear as a bell rang against the skull cap? from this inside. The grey skinned mole toppled over face first, driving the arrow the rest of the way through. The remaining dwarves stood there for a second, watching their friend's helm rock back and forth three feet off the ground. In unison their faces blackened with rage and the hunt was on once more.

For the rest of the afternoon, the troll played with the pair. He knocked them off cliffs. He drilled holes anywhere their armor had gaps. He tricked them into ambushes and ran them into tarantulas.

By the time the lone remaining dwarf tried to drag himself away, the hunter was thoroughly enjoying himself. Using a long dead tree, the hunter nailed the grey runt to the trunk. Without Tohma's revulsion, picking the dwarf apart one vein at a time was so much more fun.

He left the shredded corpse pinned to the sooty old bark and got his bearings. He was much farther west than he had hoped to be. Even if BrokeBeef Mountain was crawling on his fingers and hooves, the two would still reach the pass long before he could catch up. He thought about Zaebos and immediately regretted it. The distance between them was downright painful once he thought about it.

"Joo best be ookey, Mutt," he hissed. "If not, den tings are gonna get REALLY ugly."

Leaving the only mildly ugly tatters of what was once a dwarf, Greymuck turned away from the setting sun and began to run once more.