He people! Just a quick oneshot for you all! I'm still in the midst of craziness, but the next chapter of Broken Wings should be out soon!

Quick note, this takes place right after the one-shot survival troubles, just to give you an idea the timeline!

Hope you enjoy!

They Weren't Darkspear

It was late in the afternoon in the dense jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. The sun was just beginning to disappear over the horizon, coating the sea of exotic trees in an orange glow. Even the oceans that bordered the jungle seemed to be tinted a dark orange from the rays of the sun.

In a small clearing, far from the coast in the vast maze of vines and trees a small group consisting of Blake, Yang, and their elven companions, were setting up camp. Or in Yang's case, cracking horrible jokes and petting Carcharoth as Wrath, Varimas, and Blake did all the real setting up.

They had spent the day hiking in the jungle from Booty Bay in an attempt to make it to the haunted forests of Duskwood by nightfall. Unfortunately due to some of the more 'aggressive' plant life deciding that the group looked like rather tasty snacks they were slowed significantly, forcing them to set up camp.

Varimas sighed loudly in exasperation as he tied his loyal Dreadsteed 'Felwind' to a tree. So far this had been the day from hell. Not only had their original plans to make it to the boarder by nightfall been nixed, but now the rations he had bought at the pirate cove for when they were in Duskwood would be used up much sooner than intended.

"Alright. I'm going to go scout ahead, make sure there aren't any surprises waiting up ahead." The Warlock muttered, doing his best to not think about the handful of gold he had lost on the preserved fruit and dried meats.

"Got it. Don't get lost." Wrath replied, never glancing up from the peg he was attempting to violently drive into the ground with his hand, while Blake stood over him with a hammer in hand, rolling her eyes at the actions of her friend. Why was she crushing on this loon again?

Varimas gave a grunt in recognition before he began to trudge out of the camp.

"Hey wait up!" Yang's voice suddenly called out, stopping the blood elf in his tracks. Varimas slowly whirled around on his heel to find the blonde limping over hurriedly to him. She had recently taken multiple attempts to walk around without Carcharoth as a mount.

"What?"

"Can I come?" She asked with a bright smile on her face.

"I don't think that's such a good idea Yang." Varimas advised, the caution in his voice clear as crystal. With those words the smile on Yang's face disappeared in only moments, replaced by a small frown that made Varimas shift uncomfortably. Why did her frowning make him squirm so much?

"Why not?"

"You've only just begun walking longer distances without assistance." The Warlock reminded Yang, to Which he received a roll of the eyes from the blonde in response. "The jungle isn't the friendliest of environments for those relearning how to walk."

"Relearning how to walk?" Yang asked with both of her hands planted firmly on her hips as she tilted her head to the side slightly. "Don'tcha think your being a little bit over dramatic dude?"

"Overly dramatic? Exactly how many times have you fallen on your face so far today?" Varimas asked in a smug tone with crossed arms.

"...Shut up." Varimas very nearly chuckled when he received a glare from the brawler. Yang certainly had been having trouble staying on her feet, and the bruising on her forehead could absolutely attest to Varimas' argument.

"I rest my case." Varimas concluded before turning back towards the ocean of trees that awaited him. "It'd be best if you just remained-..."

"It's settled then!" Yang interrupted the warlock, throwing her arms up in the air with a cheesy grin on her face. She quickly hobbled past Varimas into the thicket, never bothering to glance back. "Good talk buddy!"

"Hey wait! Yang!" Varimas called out as he reached out towards her, only to resign himself with slumped shoulders after a moment. He had not known Yang very long, but what he did know was that if she wanted something, she got it. "Ugh... Very well..."

"Alright, we've scouted enough. There don't seem to be any immediate threats around. I suppose we should head back." Varimas said as he brushed away a small mound of broken vines that had collected on his shoulders. He dearly missed the pristine streets of Silvermoon right about now.

"Okay. I'm getting stiff anyways." Yang replied, appearing from a small clump of bushes not too far behind her Warlock ally. Unfortunately she had overestimated her level of recovery, and so she had grown quite sore after only an hour of walking.

"Well we're only a few miles from the camp so it should-..." Varimas suddenly cut himself off as he halted in the middle of the dirt road they traveled on. His arm flew out in order to stop Yang in her tracks.

"What? What's wr-..." Yang's eyes widened when she suddenly felt Varimas' hand clamp up against her mouth, silencing her. When she glared over she noticed Varimas was standing still as a statue, as if searching for something.

"Hear that?..." The Warlock asked after a few seconds. When Yang shook her head in denial he clarified. "Footsteps..."

They both immediately dove for a large lush bush before positioning themselves so that they could peer out of the shrubbery. When they did they noticed three large lanky creatures wearing tribal attire walking casually down the road, bows and flint axes at their sides.

"What the hell are those things!?..." Yang asked, marveling at the creatures. Thy looked like they were rather lacking in the civility department. "They look like Weiss whenever we steal her dust supply."

"Trolls." Varimas replied, never glancing away from the creatures, though his voice held no real worry or apprehension.

"Crap. So I take it they aren't friendly." Yang muttered dejectedly. For once in her life she was actually hoping she would not have to fight. Oh well, use what God gave you, right? "What're we going to do? Wanna juat blast our way past?"

"No!..." Varimas quickly reprimanded, surprising his companion. Noticing the confusion on her face the warlock clarified. "They might look savage, but they could very well be from the Darkspear tribe. If they are then they might have some supplies we could borrow."

"They don't look like the sharing type. You sure they're-..." Yang trailed off as Varimas suddenly stood up and exited out of the safety of the brush and into full view of the trolls. "No! Varimas!"

"Greetings!" Varimas called, causing the trolls whirl around to look at Varimas with wide eyes filled with astonishment. Putting his hands on his hips Varimas let out a small chuckle before speaking. "You gentlemen wouldn't happen to have some extra rations or supplies we could buy off of you would you?"

"Yang."

"Yeah Var?"

"They aren't Darkspear."

Yang let out a silent curse in response as she and Varimas were carefully tied just above a large fire like roast pigs ready to be doused in the purity of the flames that threatened to lick against their clothing. The trolls tying them to their respective stakes certainly seemed jovial about the whole process, especially the one tying up the brawler.

"Well this is just perfect..." Varimas muttered before letting out a small grunt as the troll tightened up the bindings holding him to the wooden stake before walking to join his tribe members.

"Hey cheer up V-man!" Yang chuckled, giving a small grin. "Look at it this way, at least we'll be getting a tan!"

"Did you just call me-... Never mind." Varimas sighed. Acknowledging Yang's jokes would have to be put on hold until they were far from the danger currently surrounding them. "I would very much prefer to get a tan the traditional way if you don't mind."

The trolls soon began to beat on a small cluster of drums a few dozen feet from their captives, singing loudly in a strange guttural language. A few even began to dance and sway to the beat of the instruments, as if in a trance.

"Uh... What're those guys up to?" Yang asked, leaning her head against the pole she was tied against. "Looks like they're getting ready for a tiki party or something."

"Well if my studies in archeology have taught me anything... They're most likely trying to contact a Loa." Varimas replied as if it were the simplest thing on the planet.

"Uh-huh..." Yang deadpanned. "And that means?..."

"Loa are essentially Demi-gods for the trolls. They have a Loa for everything from the snakes to the clouds." Varimas explained as he began to try to wriggle his arms free of their bindings. "Trolls also believe that if they accrue enough power upon their death then they themselves could potentially become-..."

"As facinating as that all sounds I'd kinda like to know what that means for us, right now." The brawler interrupted, knowing Varimas could probably ramble on all day about their captors. She was more than willing to listen of course. Just not right now. Definitely not right now.

"Well to put it bluntly it means that we're probably going to end up as sacrificial offerings for whatever spirit they end up invoking." Varimas explained as both he and Yang gave their ropes another strong yank, to no avail.

"Kay, that was a little too blunt dude."

As the two continued to struggle with their bindings the tribe suddenly all began to turn away from the two in order walk over to the main bonfire, leaving Varimas and Yang completely unguarded.

"This is our chance!..." Varimas whispered as he let felflames dart from his fingers which burnt through his ropes in a matter of moments, freeing him.

Yang soon did the same after a little bit more time and focus. She still was not the best with her new powers but she was slowly but steadily learning the art of manipulating felflame.

"Let's move. They won't be over there for long, and I'd like to be long gone by the time they notice anything's wrong." Varimas said as he and Yang slowly began to tip toe away from the bonfire, the trolls completely ignorant to their captives escape.

"Got it, I'm right behind ya."

After a few minutes of careful and quiet creeping the two companions finally made their way to the edge of the tribal village. When they were only feet from the beginning of the jungle Varimas finally slowed to a halt. "We're almost home free, just a little-..."

"Uh... Var?..." Yang interupted, causing the Warlock to glance back at his friend.

"What?"

Then he saw it.

Every single troll in the village, men, women, and children, had long ceased their ceremony and were all staring blankly at the escapees, weapons in hand. Dozens of them. And none looked all too happy.

"...Shit..."

"I'm getting a little worried Wrath... It's been over 3 hours." Blake muttered as she leaned against the blood elf's chest plate, watching the flames on their campfire dance about playfully, crackling loudly in the calm quiet of the jungle. "Do you think they ran into some trouble."

"I doubt it. Varimas is more than capable of taking care of himself, and Yang isn't exactly a pushover either." Wrath replied as he slowly ran fingers through the faunus' hair, scratching her ears lightly. "So what were you saying?"

"Oh, I was just wondering what authors you-..."

"Wait..." Wrath interrupted, tensing up as he heard a small snapping sound from the forests that surrounded them. Both Death Knight and ninja were on their feet in a second, their weapons drawn. "What was that?"

Before Blake could even think to respond, the trees suddenly seemed to come alive as Varimas and Yang burst into the campsite, with what sounded like the roar of an approaching army only a few dozen meters behind them.

"What the hell Varimas?!" Wrath asked, only to be pushed aside as Varimas cut Felwind loose and mounted him, while Yang haphazardly jumped on Carchroth's back.

"Less talking, more running!" The warlock cried, prompting Wrath and Blake to hurriedly mount up on Vengeance, who whinnied in exasperation at the sudden panic. Could she ever just have a normal night without these four doing something insane for once?

Soon after everyone was mounted the trolls appeared. A small army had bared down on the tiny camp that the group had set up only a few hours before, all whooping and hollering wildly as they swung about their axes and spears, hungry for blood.

Thankfully the trolls could not hope to be even a fraction as fast as the mounts which the group rode on, and soon disappeared back into the forests of the jungle, leaving their lost quarry to the mercy of the vale.

"Look at it this way guys! At least we're vine-ally on our way to Duskwood!"

"OH SHUT UP YANG!"

And there we go! Like I said, I'm still in the thick of crazy days here, but the next chapter of Broken Wings should be out soon enough!