Chapter 5

The boat propelled by both the wind and motor would arrive at port in approximately three days. Goblin owned, Wonki shared the deck with the company of gnome, dwarf, troll, ogre, and tauren. Anyone of them could be waiting for the right moment to strike. Lines weren't clear as they usually were. She couldn't just avoid the Horde, anyone could be hiding a dagger behind a kind smile, anyone could be bought off. Peace keepers with debts to pay. Soldiers with vulnerable families.

"What are you doing?" Gredel asked. Wonki had been so consumed in thought that she hadn't noticed the clanging of the draenei's armor or the thud of her hooves.

"Just thinking."

"You were humming a tune. What was it?"

"A nursery rhyme my mother taught me, you know, when she was alive. 'Step by step, heart to heart, left right left, we all fall down, like toy soldiers."

"That's beautiful."

"There's more, but I don't know it. I'm going to go to my quarters for the rest of the trip. With all these assassins gunning for me, I'd rather not stay someplace so open."

She walked off the deck, disappearing through a doorway, leaving Gredel alone. Gredel enjoyed the sea air, until she heard the clip-clop of hooves behind her. She turned, expecting to find another draenei. Instead, she found a centaur.

He was tall, taller than Gredel, so she had to look up to see his scarred and grotesque face. He was frightening in appearance, his face distorted and monstrous. What the cause of such deformity, she didn't know, but it chilled her to the bone. He was armored in elaborate plate, polished and shiny, more ornamental than practical.

Instinct reminded her of the hammer on her belt. Her hand moved to it.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Nessus Baneblood. I am an old comrade of Wonki's. Please, just give her this letter. It's urgent."

When Gredel took the offered letter, her skin touched the centaurs, and a painful wretch swept through her. She recoiled, holding her head. Dizziness swept over her and she feared she would tumble off her hooves. When she looked up again, the centaur was gone. Without another thought, she put the note in her pocket.

---

"What do you mean, there is no problem?" Wonki asked.

Marshall Goodlight sighed. "There are no problems. I didn't send a report. We've had a decent amount of peace: skirmishes with the Horde from time to time, but nothing serious. A prisoner was freed from North Point Tower, but we haven't requested for aid in taking action."

"By the light," Wonki muttered, dropping her head into her lap. "Why does this keep happening?" she demanded.

Wonki regained enough composure to focus, eyes closed, as a ball of light swelled at her side, replaced by Thulzazt the voidwalker. "We'd better go."

The most important thing to do was to leave Theramore. Boasting a population of over nine thousand people, there were as many potential assassins as civilians to get caught in the crossfire. Gredel's hooves clipped clopped against the cobble stone street as she raced out of the gates. Wonki struggled to keep pace with the long legged draenei. She panted loudly, her weak lungs not accustomed to such exertion. When Gredel stopped suddenly, Wonki's momentum carried her into her backside. She bounced back to the ground, groaning, until she looked between the draenei's legs and noticed the three humans that blocked their path.

These weren't soldiers. They weren't mercenaries. They were simple fishermen, one armed with a woodcutting axe, one with a scythe, and one with a sledgehammer.

"Where the hell are the cities guards?" Wonki whispered. Taking the dagger off her belt, she said, in as loud a voice a creature with such small lungs could muster, "Let us path."

"The bounty on your head could feed us for years. I am sorry gnome, but you must come with us. Draenei, you are worth nothing. You can leave."

Sensing the tension, Thulzazt let a low rumble escape his chest. His vast, shadowy form twitched, and he inched forward. A stern look from his mistress stopped his advancement instantly. Wonki didn't want to harm these humans. They weren't malicious, they were just really stupid. There had to be some way to avoid bloodshed, she just needed a moment to think.

Gredel swung her hammer down, the head of the maul cracking against the voidwalker's skull. The demon stumbled, until another blow hit it face. One more hit to its chest and it disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Wonki turned, just in time to see Gredel swing her off into the gnome's face. The sheer force of the blow knocked her into unconsciousness.

---

Wonki woke to a drowning metallic smell. It took her a moment to realize it was her own blood. Her face hurt. Her teeth felt lose. Her nose felt broken. Her left eye was swollen shut.

She groaned, pushing a hand behind her to help her to her feet. She was confused when she touched a warm, fleshy pillar, until she opened her eyes and realized she was cradled in Gredel's lap. Wonki didn't necessarily mind such a position. The bigger races usually thought that gnomes were cute, and took enjoyment in babying her kind. She thought back to the time when she'd been shot: Taff cradled her for nearly a day, breathing life into her whenever she began to slip away. And Gredel was gently holding her, like her mother did when she was still very young.

"You kicked me," Wonki groaned.

"Sorry," the draenei said. She gently eased the gnome to her feet. Gredel didn't stand up, but stayed sitting, so the drastic difference in height wasn't as overwhelming. "Those humans weren't soldiers. They would have hurt themselves before they hurt us."

"So you broke my nose?""By knocking you out, the humans let their guard down. I could get close, disarm them before they hurt themselves. I'm sorry ma'am, but there weren't a lot of options."

"No, you did the right thing. Just do me a favor."

"Of course, what?"

"Catch me," she said, before loosing her balance and falling forward. Gredel did as was asked, and stretched both arms out to keep the gnome from hitting the ground.

"Thank you," Wonki said, trying to get to her feet.

Gredel's hands glowed, and she extended a gentle touch to Wonki's face. Wonki cringed a little, but stayed as her soft skin touched her. The searing pain and dizziness faded.

"Thank you. I didn't know you could do that."

"All draenei have the ability to heal. It is a gift of the naaru."

"Must be nice to save lives. Where are we?"

"The goblin's ship. With you unconscious I didn't think it would be a good idea to leave you alone. You started kicking and thrashing in your sleep. I was worried. Did you really believe I was going to leave you to the humans?"

"The thought had crossed my mind, right before your hoof hit me."

"Ma'am, we are comrades."

Wonki thought to herself. "Yes we are."

---

Despite her small size, Wonki could be quite intimidating, especially when she was as angry as she was now.

"That little mission you sent me on. It was a trap," Wonki snarled.

"Then why are you here?" Twoblades asked. "You should be out seeking the one who sent the fraudulent request for aid."

"Mark my words," she said through clenched teeth. "Who ever is doing this, killed Bracha. And if I found out you had a hand, no matter slight it may have been, I'll kill you."

"Is that a threat, sub-commander?"

"Yes," she said, before turning and leaving the room.