Ch 4 – The River of Lava Runs
Rhenn took a breath as the wind roared passed her ears. She held onto the horn of Emerald's saddle as the large proto-drake beat her wings lazily toward the Barrens. Rhenn had not seen the destruction wrought on the lands of Kalmindor since she had been witness to the changing of the lands of Darkshore. She remembered little, but the memories of people crying and the smell of hot stone were forever burned into her memory.
Grekko was seated behind her on the drake holding her about her thin waist as he looked out over the lands they passed. The trees of Ashenvale had been cut to fuel the war for the Horde. The destruction of what had once been beautiful made Rhenn wince.
She felt a hand brush her side and she looked back at Grekko. He smiled a little and pulled her closer to him. He was warm and she smiled a thank you to him for she knew if she spoke the wind would just steal her words.
There were two great paths of lava that were cute into the land of the barrens. The heat rose up and they could feel it through the shoes they wore. Emerald spiraled a little riding the thermals.
"I think your beast is playing." Grekko said leaning to her ear.
"Emerald is not a beast." She said. "And she is far more interesting than your gryphon." Rhenn said back.
He laughed and held her as the proto-drake made her way south. The two were with a group of humans and goblins to try to find a suitable place for a foothold within the barrens for the Alliance. Rhenn pointed to a spot that was tucked up against the mountains. It was a level bench with mountains surrounding three sides. It would be defensible should there be an attack from the horde. Rhenn gave the order to the proto-drake to land atop it. The twenty foot rise before it could have a ramp made to ascend up. They had been searching for two days and this was the best to be found.
The humans with them nodded. "Good eye Lady Rhenn." Katha said. "This would be perfect."
Three gryphon riders mounted and headed toward Theramore where supplies and dwarf craftsman were waiting.
Rhenn watched her mount as she shifted looking out at a small group of grazing gazelle nearby. The proto-drake shifted in obvious hunger, but would not leave until her mistress allowed her. Rhenn smiled and rubbed the square head affectionately before she removed the bridle. "Go ahead, my friend." She said pulling the satchels off her riding saddle.
The proto-drake leapt into the air and rose skywards. She then dropped and made a scooping motion with her great twin taloned feet. She caught three of the unsuspecting animals that let out a shriek and tried to run. The proto-drake content with her kill flew up to the mountains behind the group to gorge on her feast.
"She won't fly away will she?" Grekko asked watching her disappear.
"No." Rhenn said. "She is just very hungry. She will return when she is full and likely sleep the rest of the day."
Grekko nodded. He went his back and began to unpack their tent. He quickly set it up with the ease of someone experienced with the cloth and stakes. Rhenn went in and laid out their beds and laid rocks inside to keep it steady should the wind come up. They were in a bit of a canyon and it was possible.
Grekko watched her and then came inside himself. The group would be some hours returning and other than Katha they were alone in the place. Grekko had not been alone in a place other than their bedchamber in ages and the thought of being with her with few to see made his groin tight.
"I am going to go explore a little on Ha'ga" Katha said as he stood beside the tent.
"We will be here holding down the fort." Rhenn said as she laid down on her blankets and looked up at the ceiling of the tent. Grekko heard the gryphon take off and he turned to his wife a smile on his face.
"What are you about?" She asked looking at his grin. She cocked her head and he dropped to his knees.
"Do you know how long it has been since I have had you totally alone?" He asked.
"Three nights ago?" She asked.
"No…in the wilds. Just us." He said. He stalked forward like a leopard stalking its pray.
She shivered and looked at him. "Ummm…years?" she managed as he moved over her body. He pressed a kiss to her mouth.
"Yes. Exactly." He said. "I am going to claim that which is mine." He said as he rolled her over gently and began to undo the buttons of her robes. As he bared her shoulders she looked back at him her breath hitching slightly.
"Grekko. It is the middle of the afternoon." She gasped. "We are not as young as we were and…"
"And no one is here. Can you think of a better time?" He asked. "Young? We are still young. You are barely in your middle thirties and I am forty." He chuckled. "We are young by many standards." He nuzzled her neck gently his hands wondering.
He heard the sound of wings and something landing. He froze, but Rhenn was calm. "It is Emerald settling down." She said. As a proto-drake rider, though the beast did not talk as dragons could she made her thoughts clear to Rhenn in her mind and also Rhenn could communicate back with her own images.
Grekko pulled on the dress baring her breasts to his gaze. He rolled her back and looked at her. "My love." He whispered and took her mouth again before moving downwards to kiss and suck on her still full breasts. He continued to pull at her robes baring more skin to touch and kiss. "And are not grandparents yet." He said playfully.
She giggled as he tickled a mole she had in a secret place on her hip. "Not yet, but likely soon."
He murmured something she could not hear as his hands roamed.
Rhenn gasped and soon found herself naked in his arms as he licked, nuzzled, nipped, and explored as he had when they first were mates. He knew all the spots to make her sigh and he smiled watching her writhe beneath him. Then somehow, she was not clear how he had done it, but he was naked as well and pressing into her with the gentle ease of a man who knew his own mate. He moved slowly savoring the feelings of her surrounding him and her body quivering excitedly beneath his. It was a way to boost his ego as well. Making her whimper and sob his name made him feel like a man of prowess and he loved her so much.
When they finally succumb to the pleasure they had wrought upon themselves they collapsed in a tangle of limbs and their bodies. He held her from behind as he cuddled close to her. He panted into her hair as she pulled his arm about her. They were slick with sweat from their lovemaking and both were very content.
Grekko smiled. "Let's see a twenty year old go that long." He said noting the sun had changed several degrees in the sky since when they had first kissed. Sated he would not need to try to stifle their whispers and grunts later when the camp was more populated. He propped himself on his elbow caressing her hair with his free hand. "What did you mean we would soon be grandparents?" He leaned over to look at her. "Do you know something I do not?"
She chuckled. "I said soon. Jamiy has not made his intentions known." She chuckled. "Though I am sure Kallin will soon be Lady Jonathan if she is not by the time we return."
"She would wait to marry to have you with her." He said. "And I am happy for her. The girl needs a good man to take care of her. We can provide some, but she loves children and should have her own."
Rhenn nodded. "I agree." She said. She sighed and settled back into the blankets. "I am going to rest." She said yawning a little. "Wake me when they return?"
"I am sure your dragon will do that, but I will help you dress when you do." He chuckled. He drew a blanket about then and sighed. "I have not had you much to myself since you became a Marquise." He said. "It is good to have such times together. We should start planning them." He looked down. His sated tired mate already slept by her rhythmic breathing and had not heard him. He smiled and kissed her shoulder affectionately before curling about her body to rest, though he remained mostly awake should trouble arise and he needed to defend her. The proto-drake would defend her mistress as well and Grekko well knew how dangerous the beasts could be when enraged. He combed his fingers through Rhenn's flaxen hair and relaxed.
The beat of wings stirred Grekko from his dozing by the fire he had built. His wife was still resting within the tent, though she had dressed. The group was taking a little longer than expected to return. Beside Grekko Katha poked the fire with a stick.
Emerald moved away from the area to allow the gryphons to put down the timber they carried. Their riders dismounted. Grekko smiled recognizing Mari, one of the Ironforge's best builders. She had learned well from her father. She was both friend to Queen Moira as well as Rhenn and had helped her father rebuild Stormwind when parts of the wall collapsed with the great earthquakes. Though her hair was now streaked with gray, the woman looked as fit and ready for action as ever.
Grekko smiled and began to make another fire so that they could cook the evening meal. Rhenn came out of the tent and dropped down beside him to start working on cooking. The sun was already down, though it was still early evening. Grekko watched his wife work as she sliced salted pork and cheese. He was heating a stew that they had cooked the night before. It was a small meal, but hearty and the thick bread helped fill the gaps as well. They all drank dark ale from the keg the dwarves had provided.
After some talk about home and the area Rhenn crawled into her bed. Grekko followed her and nuzzled her. She turned and curled up against him.
Grekko pulled her close and nuzzled her brow lightly. She sighed softly in her sleep. She was beautiful. Her hair was tousled and her features were relaxed in sleep. He pressed a kiss to her temple. This woman was his, all his. His to protect. His to love. His.
Drawing the blankets about them in a cocoon he too shut his eyes and soon slept.
The next morning Grekko woke early. He never slept well in places that were not his bed. He looked down at his sound asleep mate. He eased away from her body and went out of the tent. He stirred the coals of the fire and soon found himself with several people awake.
He looked over the Barrens as the sun was rising. He sipped some tea. He then turned hearing a roar. He dropped the cup as Emerald leapt into the air after letting out a warning bellow and charge at the intruders.
Grekko turned and saw a group of four Tauren, well armed running up the ramp. What likely had started as an exploratory mission to see whom was making a camp, not turned into a battle as the Alliance members woke and scurried to ready to fight.
Grekko stood on a rock casting his spells. He had phased himself into the darker plane and was almost like a shade of himself as he cast his darker magic spells to delay the great tauren. They were all males and looked young.
The guards ran out to engage the group. Rhenn was at the top of the ramp casting her own bolts of lightning from her fingers as well as summoning her elemental to fight with her. Grekko watched her move below him on the rocks to become closer, but harder to target.
One of the Tauren had transformed into a tree form. Ahh, Grekko thought, a druid healer. Grekko phased back to the plane so he could heal his own men with his spells. He watched a tauren stomp the earth and the three closest Alliance were stunned by the move. The tree moved slowly so as not to be noticed toward Rhenn. Rhenn was concentrating on the seeming leader of the group she did not see the danger until it was too late.
The druid reached out transforming back into his true self and pulled her to the ground beside him. Stunned she laid there a few seconds. He grabbed her with his three fingered hand and dragged her away. He then was behind his own group and transformed to a tree again. Rhenn found herself when she got her bearings under a rooted foot that pinned her to the earth so she could not cast. Or so the druid though.
The fight was ebbing as the Tauren backed off and Grekko called for the men to not follow as he jumped down to attend to abrasions. Rhenn looked at the small stream nearby. She called upon her element forming a ball of water. She then summoned it to her. The force that it hit the druid knocked the tree back drenching them both.
Rhenn rolled backwards and lifted her staff as she crouched down. The group of tauren then faced her and she swallowed. The leader stepped forward looking at her. He was tall, over eight feet tall next to her five foot three stature. He snorted eyeing her a moment. He then saw the medallion she wore about her neck. He lifted his hand to his companions who were readying to attack her.
He shook his head. "She is a friend of the Horde." He said in Orcish. "As a Bloodhoof, I will not break that back and shed her blood." He nodded to her. "I am sure you can understand this, human." He looked at the fort. "Times are hard. That fort will not go unmolested."
"We all do what we must in these times…Blaine." She answered in Orcish.
"Indeed." He smiled a little. "So you know me." He said. He was Cairne's son and heir. "I am know you not." He said.
Rhenn stood defiantly as he towered over her. He then moved back as her proto-drake landed and aggressively opened her mouth to attack and charge. Rhenn lifted her hand and the creature stayed though she reared on her two legs in agitation.
Blaine looked back at Rhenn. "Return home. This is no place for the likes of a woman like you." He said. He waved in dismissal. "Goodbye." He said.
Rhenn nodded and watched them go. She walked slowly back toward the fort. Grekko spotted her and walked to her. "By the Light, you are drenched. Come change before you catch your death of cold."
Yes, it was brisk this morning. She nodded allowing him to lead her to the tent. He looked her over. Other than her hair matted with mud and a few scratches she was unharmed. Thank the Light. His Rhenn once again escaped harm. He was starting to wonder if she was part cat. He smiled to himself as she went into the tent and he gently helped her.
The defensible parts of the fort were erected first and then the small fortress that could be defended behind it. It was completed within a week. Though very basic it would serve as an outpost and was named Far Reach Outpost.
Grekko and Rhenn returned to Stormwind their mission complete and the King most pleased. He could keep an eye on the Horde from the outpost and keep his ear to the ground watching the changed that had happened in the Barrens looking for opportunities to help his economy in any way he could.