Gierta hefted the new rifle, closing her left eye to test the sights down the barrel. The weight would take some getting used to, but the dormant fel energies of the corrupted iron ore found here in Outland were supposed to add power and accuracy to each shot. She heard a heavy footfall behind her, and swung the barrel 'round to face the newcomer.

"Ach!" The Dwarf behind her raised his hands in mock surrender. "A bit protective of yer 'workshop,' are ye?" His braided, bright red moustaches waggled as he smiled.

Gierta lowered her rifle with a wide grin as Kranulf studied the makeshift workshop. In truth it was little more than a tent set up behind the smithy at Honor Hold, with a "borrowed" bench and various tools and gadgets littering the floor. Kranulf eyed the bench suspiciously. "Isn't that the very bench the innkeep was making such a fuss about a few hours back?"

Gierta waved away the question, still grinning. "I'll be puttin' it back, Kran. Don't be givin' me one 'a' yer 'Holy Paladin' speeches, now."

Her friend grunted as he picked up what looked like a tiny mace with a string dangling from it. "You've been spendin' too much time with those Gnomes, Girt. What in the Light's name is this?"

She smiled slyly. "Pull that cord and they'll be scrapin' pieces of ye up over on the Legion Front."

Kran shook his head, his shaggy red beard waving back and forth. "Such a small thing to do so much damage." He had seen Girt's grenades (of different, old design) in action before. In a couple of tight spots, he'd actually used one or two himself. "It's just not right. Give me a good, sturdy hammer any day."

Gierta chuckled, her hair gathered behind her swinging as she snatched the grenade from him and stuffed it in her satchel. Kranulf couldn't help wincing at all the rough treatment she gave the explosives. "Ah well," said Gierta, "that's enough work for today, I suppose. Help me with this tent, Kran, and I'll buy ye a beer."

Kranulf sighed. He knew who'd be carrying that bench back to an angry innkeep.

She looked around at each of the faces she'd come to know so well. Kranulf, of course. She'd known him the longest by far; they'd first worked together investigating the Dragonmaw presence in the area around Menethil Harbor. The healing powers granted him by the Light had saved each one of their lives countless times. Girruk she met in the island-city of Theramore. His claims of having been a scout and spy for the Alliance armies under Lady Jaina Proudmoore during the Third War had never been verified. And the fact that he was rather handsome had nothing to do with her tendency to believe him, thank you very much. Karundin was already almost fully armored in this preliminary meeting. The time they spent looking into the Dark Iron activites in the Searing Gorge forged such a bond between them, they had been almost inseparable since. Often he and his sturdy shield had been all that stood in the way between the rest of them and total disaster. Galain, the only Human in the group, was still something of a mystery to her. Why he would forsake an undoubtedly easier life studying his magics in some secluded tower, she could not understand. Whenever Girt asked, though (which was fairly often), he just blathered on about "Arcane Rifts" and Demonic Echoes" and "Dwarven incompatibility with corrupting magics" until she begged him to stop. He was the newest member of their little group, which meant that Gierta and her friends had been depending on his potent spells and convenient portals for over six months now. It was a close-knit group, these fighters who called themselves "Gierta's Grunts." (If they had been aware of how common the standing of "grunt" was in the Horde, they may have chosen a different name. Then again, they may not have.) The name was not her idea, but she had certainly never objected to the implication that she led this motley band.

"She's not smiling, 'Run." Girruk nudged the burly warrior with his elbow. "You know what that means."

"Eh?" Karundin was not at all stupid, but he was not what one would call quick-witted either.

"Looks like our leaves were finally approved, Karundin." Galain had surprised everyone by how quickly he'd adapted to the endless ribbing the Dwarf boys gave each other. "It's just you and Kran trying to keep her alive this time out."

"Wha-at?"

Kranulf couldn't resist a chuckle. "Oh, is that all, Gal? For a moment I thought you meant this time would be different somehow."

Even Girt had a good laugh at that one.

"Okay boys," Gierta began. "'Tis no secret the frontal assaults being launched at Hellfire Citadel have no been gettin' the Alliance anywhere at all."

"The word is, those Horde over in Thrallmar have no had better luck, either."

Gierta tried not to show it, but she really did hate the way Girruk always tried to upstage her. Especially when she hadn't known what he knew. "Commander Trollbane," she went on, "has been askin' for quick strike teams to try scoutin' out the place and findin' weaknesses in the Fel Orcs' defenses.

"Are you sure we're up to this, Gierta?" Galain was definitely the voice of caution in the group.

"Maybe not if the Ramparts hadn't been more or less cleared this mornin'..."

Gierta cleared her throat. "Aye, as Girruk says, someone was back on those Ramparts just this morning. So if we're going to take part in this, and not let some Elves or such take all the glory, now is the time. Besides, ol' Gunny told me that the Draenei over in that Temple of theirs are willing to lend us one of their priestesses."

Girruk frowned at that. He liked things he did not know even less than Gierta did. "Co-ordinating with them might be difficult."

"Gunny told me he'd arrange everything. I already had a rally point marked on his map, in case we were able to combine with some other teams. Unfortunately, most others have already made their own plans."

"So where is it?"

Gierta spread her own map out before them. "Right here, at sundown. Make yer own way there - if a Draenei priest can make it alone, so can any one of ye. Just don't be late."

All the boys crowded close to see where her finger was pointing, then nodded and began to leave her room. Gierta grabbed 'Run's arm as he started to leave.

"Almost forgot," she said, and dug around in her satchel until she had produced several of the grenades that Kranulf had been inspecting earlier.

"Ah, me 'tenderizers'!" Karundin loved the things so much he had his own name for them. "Yer a doll, Girt."

She gave him a smug smile. "I know."