Chapter 16

"No, no…. How did they find us so fast?" I muttered glancing at Ari, who was sniffing the craters and barrels scattered through the camp. I started to look around the campsite, hoping to find anything useful. As I walked around the tents, I found nothing except for broken pieces of glass, empty whisky bottles, remnants of some fluid that definitely wasn't water, small to medium-size hand axes stored in a few were a couple cans that looked like drinks and some of food supplies. Several blue bottles were stacked together, and when I opened one, it contained a red liquid. Bear hides for sleeping and sitting on.

What caught my eye was what looked like a classic knife that was rammed into the ground. It looked well-used. I carefully grasped that hilt of the knife and pulled it out, mindful not to cut myself who knew what the blade might be coated with. The base of the dagger was adorned with small skulls and intricate embellishments. The leather grip was worn, rough, and covered in scratches of varying sizes. The blade seemed designed to hold poison and had small chips in the steel. The dagger likely belonged to a rogue. I reached my hand into my pocket for a rag that I'd swiped from home, wrapping the blade carefully to avoid any accidental injuries. Poison myself wasn't on the agenda.

As I continued searching for Ari, a flash of red caught my eye. I crept toward a crate, where a vile was fastened to a black leather belt adorned with a few golden charms. The belt had a few loops for extra vials, and one of the remaining vial contained a red liquid-like ground up beets,thick and clinging to the inside of the bottle, resembling a runny gel.

"What on Azeroth," I grumbled trying to finger out what the vial contained. I had to be some kind of poison, but I couldn't put my finger on it. As I examined the vial, I heard a soft bark-Ari's way of getting my attention. I looked over to see him sitting by a tree, just outside of the perimeter of the tents.I noticed a flash of royal blue thread,

"What did you find buddy?" I asked, kneeling beside him. It was a torn piece of blue fabric, stuck on a small rock. The edge was sewn with golden thread…. Royal blue fabric with golden thread - this was the same material as Anduin's tabard before he left. The tabard he always wore when we hung out at the old training grounds. The deep blue with golden embellishments, embroidered halfway down his chest, was a golden lion sewn in golden thread along with the edges of the tabard were also sewn with golden thread. He would wear that stupid thing everywhere if his father didn't force him to wash it.

"By the gods, they found him," I thought, a shiver running through me as I imagined what the Horde might have done to him. Anduin could endure a lot, but even the most strongest-willed warriors have limits. I gripped the cloth harder, trying to block out the horrific possibilities. As i examined it closer, my heart sank- the cloth was stained...