~*~ Author's Notes ~*~
"On the road again! Pissed off, kicked out and on the road again!" ~ Diary of a Crazed Southern Woman
Also, crossover- ftw!
Lastly: Yes, in this story, the Alliance and Horde teamed together to work on defeating the Amani. This happened in the game though the player's weren't able to go into Zul'aman as one raid team. In the WoW universe I think they would have been able to as they did before.
~*~Chapter 11 ~*~
When Kayas awoke the next morning, she was a large blue cat again and lying on a lush bed of grass. There was a bowl of water and a freshly killed rabbit by her head. It wasn't green and oozing so she settled down to eating it with gusto, unsure if it would be a trend or her last meal for a long time.
The effects of whatever was in that cask was making her head swim; she vowed never to drink the stuff again.
The Warlock was cursing at her Dreadstead; bony hand clamped around one shoulder spike and the other attempting to fasten the saddle. The angry demon didn't want to be touched and fought its master with stubborn will.
"Why is he upset?" The Priest asked. He was meditating on the other side of the cinder pit, his undead mount already packed. In the early morning light he looked more at peace than the entire time they'd been here.
"No. Fel-damed. Souls. To. Give. It!" Each word was punctuated with either a tug on the horns or a jump out of the way of said horns. "And don't you blame it on my pony; it's your fault I couldn't get into Zul'aman. You and your wolf."
Jetadiah opened one eye, blazing in irritation, "You blame me for your soul bag being empty? Moi? No…"
Ignoring the Priest, who went back to meditating, the Warlock kicked at the demon's molten hoof and threw it off balance long enough to fasten the saddle. Next came the fun part of loading up the supplies.
Kayas ate and watched, then rolled in the fresh grass, highly amused by her captors. Everyone was in high spirits, ready to get back on the road, off this mountain and out of these wretched territories.
When the demon stead was loaded the Druid went into her bag obediently. She didn't put it past the Warlock to kill her in a heartbeat if she did anything to attract attention. Even if the act upset the Priest.
Spurring the molten monster onto the road Corrosa informed the guards she and her Priest were leaving.
"No Horde on or off this mountain. A Druid is missing and we suspect foul-"
"Who gave the order?" The Warlock asked slowly, as if very bored. This voice is one the Druid only heard once before. She named it Heir of Evil. This man's life was about to flash before his eyes and he didn't even know it.
"King Anduin Wryn of Stormwind!" The Guard belted out, a frown in his voice.
"Does King Anduin Wryn of Stormwind control the Forsaken?"
The guard was confused, "No. But the Alliance is leading the-"
"My Priest and I are not part of your army. I left the raid last night." She kicked the Dreadstead into motion, but the Guard quickly jumped in the way. The narrow path leading down the mountain wasn't wide enough for them to go around.
"No one on or off the mountain-"
The Warlock grew cold. Threw the bag Kayas could feel the chill in the air that seemed to follow the Forsaken. It was a chill that came when they remembered why they detest the living.
"If I push you over the cliff," she asked, still bored, "will the fall kill you?"
Caught off balance the guard gulped loudly, "Y-yes."
"Then maybe you should worry more about gravity, who has already made up it's mind to end you, and less about me, who's still mulling it over." Pause, "Tell your king Corrosa sends her love."
The man could be heard trembling, "Corrosa? You're the High Priest's- " His ragged breaths sounded as if they were about to stop altogether. His heart could be heard pounding in his voice. "So he must be…-"
Icy winds blew, chilling the Druid even inside her protective bag. The Warlock's voice grew soft, dangerous. "He," she said slowly, so the guard couldn't mistake her words, "was never here. Am I clear?"
The man ran. Fleeing for his life, for help, for clean underwear. They trio moved on – quickly.
"You didn't tell them who we were?" Jetadiah asked, riding up beside his companion when the path grew wider. Corrosa had picked up the pace, wanting to put distance between them and the Alliance who would no doubt come after them.
"They called for any able-bodied casters," the Warlock said, "so I came. It's not my fault they didn't ask for names." Quietly she added, "I didn't actually make it to the sign-in board. Some little rogue whelp was filching everyone's stuff and causing a panic."
The Priest didn't ask any details, sure he would be unhappy to hear her answer.
Kayas wondered about their exit off the mountain. Why had the man been so afraid of Corrosa? If anyone else had threatened the guard, he'd have called for backup right then. Perhaps sending the message to the king was code? Threat? Warning?
It seemed to make sense to the Kayas, who had to work to remain on the demon's rump as it moved. Though the bag was strapped down good, she didn't much like being thrown around inside it. She felt silly that she didn't know more about them, especially considering her village was a prime spot for regular Horde raids. Perhaps someone who had more than sixteen years under their belt and had ever been outside Ashenvale and Darkshore would know.
These thoughts spun threw her head as they traveled. The din of the land, the suffering and pain of the fallen Night Elves and the fel taint of the wildlife was a dull throb inside her. The Warlock ordered the Priest to 'put his bleeding heart into a book' and stop whining about what he couldn't fix. The Priests own holy book was memorized so he opted for one on the Shadow arts from the Warlock's collection.
A few of hours latter, Zul'aman half a map length behind them, Corrosa slowed the pace. "One stop." The Warlock said, smacking Ziltip into the dirt for trying to pinch her food. "You don't have a stomach: no food for you!"
"Listen here, sistah! I gotta eat something!" His shrill voice made Kayas groan inside her bag. A moment latter the imp was right back on the stead's rump, resting against the Druid and complaining to himself. The Warlock threatened to banish him if he didn't shut up.
"Stop where?" Jetadiah asked. The book he was pretending to read muffled his voice some.
The Warlock perked up quickly when her idea wasn't shot down immediately. This voice was called Brilliant Idea; "To collect clams!"
The book thumped shut. "Clams?"
Even inside her bag, Kayas could tell this was going to be a bad thing. She didn't need to see the Warlock's face, evil hands wringing with excitement.
"Clams. From some murlocs. By the ocean. Near that island-"
"No." The book ruffled open again. "Stay away from the island."
The Warlock actually snorted; an impressive thing to do without working lungs, "Fine; I need soul shards. My demons are starving. I ran out frying that rogue when he touched my –"
Kayas only wished she had been able to see the look the Priest gave the Warlock that shut her up so quickly. Then she could gloat and the Warlock wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
Jetadiah's solution to her problem was shot down just as soon as it came out. They argued for a good ten minutes, making the druid wish she had ear muffs to drown out their bickering. How on earth these two stood each other she had no idea. They were just so different!
He relented on the topic, his voice going soft, but declined the drag the Druid along for the show. She would do her dirty work and then catch up to them at the Thalassian Pass.
The Warlock unbuttoned the sack and made the Druid get out. Kayas wanted to stop the Warlock from going threw with her plans, half out of distain for the Forsaken woman and half out of her natural love of life. If she raised one paw to his master the imp would kill her in a single shot.
"What are you going to do about her? Everyone will see."
Snapping his fingers, a motion Kayas associated with his noble upbringing, the Priest ordered her to his side. Slinking across the ground, grateful for space between herself and the fel-cursed Warlock, she propped herself on the Priests warhorse. Putting paw against the dead animal, bones showing threw in so many places was revolting on so many levels.
Stroking the collar, the Priest freed up access to her stealthing abilities. She was instructed to keep pace with his horse and informed that no one would be able to see her unless they were a lot stronger than she were.
The Warlock put her Dreadstead into a full gallop and headed off towards the worst of the taint. Kayas mewled after her, sliding down onto all fours.
The Priest's voice was sad as he walked the horse again, "Pray for them, little Kayas. I will."
Most of the monsters in this part were too weak to detect her. The ones that wernt were shackled and destroyed by the Priest. Simple flicks of his wrist had Scourge immobilized. A second flick and they crashed into bone and dust, smoking ever so slightly. Kayas didn't understand the words that gave power to his spells, but they were the strongest she had ever felt.
Where Kayas walked, little sprouts shot up. Upon noticing this, the Priest laughed. The joyful sound rang threw her, giving hope where sadness dwelled. If he could ride from end to end of this land shouting with joy it seemed enemies would flee from every nook and cranny.
His commend on the size difference between Tauren and Night Elf feet earned him an indignant snort and a growl in protest, "Growww!" she wailed softly. 'I am not a kitten! … and I've never seen a Tauren.'
Smiling, the Priest coughed into his fist, "Check a mirror next time your in a town. Your not a grown cat yet, Lil'bit."
Miffed, she settled down. Ok, so she had never seen herself in her feline form. Certainly she had noticed that as a Druid aged so did their forms. Being halfway threw her teen years would make her… a half-grown kitten? She mused as they walked, wondering just where the Thelausian Pass would take them.