The Horns Of Warsong by Eelai
Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:59 pm
The Horns of Warsong
Eelai - December 7, 2005
Smoke drifted lazily over the Warsong Gulch. It was eerily
silent, without the drone of the goblin shredders and saws of the
lumber mill. Gone were the work songs and grunts of exertion from
the peons and goblin operators. They had withdrawn behind
Mor'Shan Rampart, leaving the field to the soldiers.
Eelai poked her Ornate Spyglass through a gap in the forward log
wall, which protected the main entrances of the mill from direct
assault. Across the gulch, in Silverwing Hold, she could see the
movement of Alliance forces indistinctly, behind their thorn
barricade. It was difficult to discern details but she could
count ten distinct humanoid shapes moving behind the thorns.
"What's it look like?" Streyth asked, leaning casually back
against the logs.
"They are preparing to attack," Eelai replied. She stood back
from the gap and snapped her spyglass closed. "They will be
coming for our flags."
Morrowji twanged his bowstring and looked up to Eelai. "Why
exactly are they after their flags? And why are we after theirs?
Can't we just kill them?"
Eelai grunted unhappily in response. "I wish. Things would be
simpler then, yes? The fact of the matter is that we can't
conduct the war against the Alliance the way we would like, but
must do as our Warchief dictates." She unsheathed her blades as
she spoke and squatted on the ground. From her packs came two
vials of viscous liquid, which she proceeded to pour on her
weapons.
"Thrall recognizes that there are greater threats to the Horde
than the Alliance. The Scourge comes to mind. So does the Burning
Legion. There are... agreements, and treaties." She spat in the
dust at the last word. "There are rules to how we must fight the
Alliance, lest we exhaust ourselves destroying them and leave
ourselves open to our other foes."
"The flags around Warsong Gulch are territory markers. We take
them, and we claim more of Ashenvale for the Warsong and the
Horde. The Alliance take ours, and they claim territory for the
Silverwing Sentinels. And our leaders will enforce these
territorial claims. Last month, five peons were executed by the
Warsong Chieftan for felling lumber outside of their territory."
She finished poisoning her blades and hefted one in each hand.
They whistled through the air as she spun them through an attack
pattern.
"That's stupid!" Streyth exclaimed. "We should just march as many
heroes as we can recruit through Ashenvale and just take the
whole thing for ourselves."
"And then the Alliance would counterattack," Eelai replied
flatly. "Ashenvale would become a warzone where we would be
incapable of harvesting lumber - lumber which is needed for the
industry of Orgrimmar, for forges, and ships, and the Tauren's
elevators. And should we decide to fight a full-scale war here,
what's to prevent the Alliance from mounting counterattacks
elsewhere? Against isolated but necessary outposts like Kargath?"
She looked directly at Streyth. "Should we perhaps withdraw
forces from the Bulwark to support our attack here?" The look of
alarm that crossed the Forsaken's face was answer enough.
"So, instead of a vast, epic war across the two continents and
the oceans of Azeroth, we must be content with these skirmishes,
these... games." Eelai grinned suddenly. "Don't be discouraged,
though! Think of how bored and soft we would become with no
enemies to test ourselves against. The Warchief and the Dark
Lady, Zul'jin and Cairne, are no fools. This kind of war keeps us
keen, keeps us sharp."
"What about 'Peace Through Annihilation'? Isn't that what
Maledictus always says?" Morrowji asked.
Eelai shrugged. "Maledictus is also wise, which is why I follow
him. And he has a vision. Maybe he believes it can be achieved. I
don't. There are always more enemies. And if there aren't? What
else is left? Maybe if we ever achieve his 'peace' it will be
time for me to follow our foes into the Twisting Nether."
Silver horns rang out high and loud over the smoke-shrouded
Gulch. With a great cry, ten Alliance heroes rode out from
Silverwing Hold, charging down the hill towards the Warsong Mill.
In reply, the horns of the Warsong sang out and a battlecry rose
up from the assembled Horde heroes. Eelai's grin widened savagely
as she surveyed her assembled warriors. "But that day won't be
today."
"The only honor is victory."
Eelai - December 7, 2005
Smoke drifted lazily over the Warsong Gulch. It was eerily
silent, without the drone of the goblin shredders and saws of the
lumber mill. Gone were the work songs and grunts of exertion from
the peons and goblin operators. They had withdrawn behind
Mor'Shan Rampart, leaving the field to the soldiers.
Eelai poked her Ornate Spyglass through a gap in the forward log
wall, which protected the main entrances of the mill from direct
assault. Across the gulch, in Silverwing Hold, she could see the
movement of Alliance forces indistinctly, behind their thorn
barricade. It was difficult to discern details but she could
count ten distinct humanoid shapes moving behind the thorns.
"What's it look like?" Streyth asked, leaning casually back
against the logs.
"They are preparing to attack," Eelai replied. She stood back
from the gap and snapped her spyglass closed. "They will be
coming for our flags."
Morrowji twanged his bowstring and looked up to Eelai. "Why
exactly are they after their flags? And why are we after theirs?
Can't we just kill them?"
Eelai grunted unhappily in response. "I wish. Things would be
simpler then, yes? The fact of the matter is that we can't
conduct the war against the Alliance the way we would like, but
must do as our Warchief dictates." She unsheathed her blades as
she spoke and squatted on the ground. From her packs came two
vials of viscous liquid, which she proceeded to pour on her
weapons.
"Thrall recognizes that there are greater threats to the Horde
than the Alliance. The Scourge comes to mind. So does the Burning
Legion. There are... agreements, and treaties." She spat in the
dust at the last word. "There are rules to how we must fight the
Alliance, lest we exhaust ourselves destroying them and leave
ourselves open to our other foes."
"The flags around Warsong Gulch are territory markers. We take
them, and we claim more of Ashenvale for the Warsong and the
Horde. The Alliance take ours, and they claim territory for the
Silverwing Sentinels. And our leaders will enforce these
territorial claims. Last month, five peons were executed by the
Warsong Chieftan for felling lumber outside of their territory."
She finished poisoning her blades and hefted one in each hand.
They whistled through the air as she spun them through an attack
pattern.
"That's stupid!" Streyth exclaimed. "We should just march as many
heroes as we can recruit through Ashenvale and just take the
whole thing for ourselves."
"And then the Alliance would counterattack," Eelai replied
flatly. "Ashenvale would become a warzone where we would be
incapable of harvesting lumber - lumber which is needed for the
industry of Orgrimmar, for forges, and ships, and the Tauren's
elevators. And should we decide to fight a full-scale war here,
what's to prevent the Alliance from mounting counterattacks
elsewhere? Against isolated but necessary outposts like Kargath?"
She looked directly at Streyth. "Should we perhaps withdraw
forces from the Bulwark to support our attack here?" The look of
alarm that crossed the Forsaken's face was answer enough.
"So, instead of a vast, epic war across the two continents and
the oceans of Azeroth, we must be content with these skirmishes,
these... games." Eelai grinned suddenly. "Don't be discouraged,
though! Think of how bored and soft we would become with no
enemies to test ourselves against. The Warchief and the Dark
Lady, Zul'jin and Cairne, are no fools. This kind of war keeps us
keen, keeps us sharp."
"What about 'Peace Through Annihilation'? Isn't that what
Maledictus always says?" Morrowji asked.
Eelai shrugged. "Maledictus is also wise, which is why I follow
him. And he has a vision. Maybe he believes it can be achieved. I
don't. There are always more enemies. And if there aren't? What
else is left? Maybe if we ever achieve his 'peace' it will be
time for me to follow our foes into the Twisting Nether."
Silver horns rang out high and loud over the smoke-shrouded
Gulch. With a great cry, ten Alliance heroes rode out from
Silverwing Hold, charging down the hill towards the Warsong Mill.
In reply, the horns of the Warsong sang out and a battlecry rose
up from the assembled Horde heroes. Eelai's grin widened savagely
as she surveyed her assembled warriors. "But that day won't be
today."
"The only honor is victory."