Grim Views

Kailei crushed the scroll in the grip of her fist. Today would bring more vengeance at her feet, she thought with a bit of a smirk. The orders sent her and a few of her choice soldiers into the depths of the forests of Ashenvale. They were to bring more destruction to the area. She immediately left Orgrimmar to collect her troop in Silvermoon.

She reported an hour later after recieving the letter. She had donned her Blood Knight regalia, tabard and all and met with her commander. The black and red armor gleamed, and the tabard itself was clean and well cared for. Tyrian was in his office as usual. He stood almost a foot taller than Kailei, older by a few years, his body carried almost as many scars as Kailei's did beneath his armor. Having gone to battle with him in the past led her to know this. He wore his hair long, and the auburn color shimmered in the bright lights of his office. Kailei would consider him handsome...if she were interested in that sort of thing. But after her last trip into Ashenvale, thinking of men in that matter made her nauseous.

Tyrian was a cold leader, and he knew Kailei's pain from her first encounter in Ashenvale...and he fed that pain knowing that it would only fuel Kailei's success. When the young blood elf female entered his office, he looked up from the maps on the table. "Kailei Windstalker, a pleasure to see you again," He said as he moved to the doorway to greet her.

Kailei saluted and then shook his hand as he offered it in greeting. Deep down she knew that Tyrian had romantic designs where she was concerned, but Kailei didn't care for romance...as far as she was concerned she was damaged goods and any man who wanted her was insane. "Commander Tyrian, I hear you have need of me and my soldiers. What do you need from us in Ashenvale?" She asked, her voice calm and emotionless as always.

"Straight to business again Kailei? Is there ever any room for pleasantries with you?" Tyrian asked before he chuckled a bit. He then moved around the map table and gestured to the map that waited there.

"No commander, I live for my duty to the Blood Knights and the Horde. There is no room for casual pleasantries, especially not whenever the Night Elves are concerned." Kailei replied as she moved towards the table where the map waited.

Tyrian held his hands up and backed off for now. "Fine, fine...to business then." He said as he pointed to Raynewood Retreat on the map before them. "My spies tell me that there is a druid aiding the Night Elves in Ashenvale...this druid, also a Night Elf, goes by the name of Mathis, he has some important information in regards to the movements of the Alliance forces. He seems to always be near Raynewood Retreat."

"Find him, kill him, take the information?" Kailei asked as she glanced up at Tyrian across the table, she was already eager to draw her blade and drive it through this Mathis' chest.

Tyrian chuckled again. "Yes that is exactly what I want you to do." He replied. "I do not care how many of them you kill either, eradicate the whole Retreat for all I care." He waved a hand about in the air before he moved away from the map table. "And Kailei?"

Kailei made her notes, and was plotting her route on the map as Tyrian said her name again she glanced up...green fel energy glow of her eyes flashing slightly. She didn't like being interrupted in her work, but Tyrian was her commander so he was due SOME respect. "Yes commander?"

"I would like to see you more often outside of issuing you orders. Would that ever be possible?" Tyrian asked.

Kailei chuckled a bit and she shook her head. "I do not think that is a good idea commander. You know as well as I do, that the last excursion into Ashenvale was not a healthy experience for me, and besides romance gets in the way of taking care of my orders. I would not risk that."

Tyrian sighed a bit and raked a hand through his hair. "Kailei you won't be a soldier forever."

"You don't know that commander...and with it now being uncomfortable I will be on my way, I will gather my soldiers and head out in a few hours time." Kailei pivoted on the heel of her boot and left Tyrian's office in a hurry. She had a feeling Tyrian wasn't going to give up on his silly notions anytime soon.

She couldn't worry about that now though...she had work to do.

Kailei and her troop of soldiers left Silvermoon together. They traveled via the zepplin route from Undercity, and then arrived in Orgrimmar. They did not remain there long, they left almost as soon as the zepplin docked.

The commander had given her 8 men and women both, but she was not happy with them. All of them were new to combat, newly inducted into the Blood Knights, not a one of them held rank above Initiate. But she would work with what she had. She would make sure they all returned alive if anything else.

Currently they were stationed right outside of Splintertree Post. They had set up tents as operating posts...Kailei had her own as befitted the leader of the troops. They were going to stay here one night, and launch their attack early in the morning before the sun rose.

Kailei had ordered the soldiers to set up their quarters, train for two hours, and then retire for the night, with two guards patrolling their camp at all times, rotating shifts. Then she returned to her tent where she had a small table with her maps and routes planned out. As she looked them over, she removed the ceremonial armor she had worn to Silvermoon, wincing slightly as she removed the breastplate...the bandages she wore beneath her shirt were stained with blood again. "Oh damn..." She murmered as she saw how much they were stained. She had been pushing herself too hard lately it seemed. But she refused to get those wounds healed by a priest or paladin of the light. She wore the wounds and would be scars in respect for her fallen friend.

Shaking her head slightly she opened her trunk and located spare bandages and laid out her battlearmor, which was still somewhat mis-matched and heavily damaged...she was going to have to see a blacksmith upon return to Orgrimmar.

She would tend her wounds...and then ready for the meeting with the soldiers before it was time to turn in for the night. She would sleep in her armor and with her weapons as she always did...and tomorrow...she would have more of her vengeance on the Night Elves.

Kailei got the rest of her ceremonial armor tucked safely away into her trunk, and finished donning her battle armor. It wasn't the easiest task in the world while being injured and alone, but she managed. It was time to go and survey the soldiers before explaining battle plans to them.

She left the tent then, "Blood Knights! Assemble!" She called, and the eight soldiers that she had been assigned formed up in front of her. She scanned them and arched an eyebrow slightly. "Do any of you have previous battle experience? And are any of you a healer?"

Not a single soldier raised their hand or acknowledged her questions. Kailei bit her lower lip and wanted to scream in frustration. Tyrian had screwed her over...and sent these untrained, unseasoned soldiers to their possible deaths. She sure couldn't heal them, and she would die trying to save them all in battle. "Dismissed...report here before the break of dawn." She stormed back into her tent, there she let out a scream as she ripped off her helm and flung it across the tent.

She drew her stone from her bag and contacted Tyrian. "Commander...you have screwed this mission." She said. "You sent me new, untrained, soldiers...AND NOT A SINGLE HEALER!!!" Kailei was seething with rage at this point. She was sure that the soldiers could hear her across the camp.

"Kailei they were all we had available! I swear I would not do this to you purposely!" Tyrian stammered a bit as he explained his reasoning to Kailei.

"Commander...listen to me before I say to FEL with this mission and send them ALL home." Kailei calmed down a bit and spoke slowly. "I will find others to come to my aid, BUT the Blood Knight coffers will foot the bill..."

"But, but, but..." Tyrian stammered.

Kailei stopped him right away. "Tyrian...listen...we cannot complete this mission without the aid of a HEALER! At the very least...I will find us one of those...and the Blood Knight coffer will foot the bill...plain and simple." And with that she cut off communications with him. Let him steam and stew on this, she thought...she would not fail no matter the price.

With that she contacted one of the members of the Grim that she knew enough to ask for aid.

"Bryii...are you there?" She asked. "This is Kailei, and I need your help."

As the communicator became active with the voice of the blood knight, Bryii was under her covers in bed listening to the stern woman's voice. Bryii moaned and moved around in bed trying to see if the excessive noise with stop, but of course it didn't. "ughhhh....nooooo", Bryii whined. She poked out a hand and search upon the communicator on her night stand, while doing so she knocked over many bottles of wine and ale that were all empty from her drinking. Bryii was hung over and wanted to sleep all day, finally her hand felt the warmth of the communicator and pulled it under the cover. "Hello...who is this?", Bryii whispered quietly do to her head pounding.

"Bryii, this is Kailei. Nanori's sister," Inwardly Kailei groaned to herself, she knew the paladin was hungover just by the tone of her voice, and what she knew of Bryii from her sister.

"I have a bit of a problem out in Ashenvale, my Commander, has literally SCREWED me." She stated. "He sent me out here with a bunch of no talent new bloods and I have a mission to accomplish with no one to heal us if we are wounded..."

She took a deep breath and sighed heavily, "I could really use your help, and of course the Blood Knights will pay your price whatever it is...my commander has agreed to this...against his will you could say..." Kailei chuckled a bit at that.

"Alright alright, just let me get up and send me the grid so I can fond your camp later," Bryii got up and stumbles over to her dresser and brushes her hair and puts on very little make-up. Bryii was thinking how its going to be a little awkward working with the Blood Knights as she refused to become one of them. But gold was gold and Bryii knew she could suck them dry of it. As she finished up, she walked over to her balcony and whistled in a very high pitch looking around.

A bug gust of wind almost ruining Bryii's hair pushed her back a bit, her beautiful Iron bound Proto-drake came down in front of Bryii. Nudging at her like a big pet it wanted to be pet and given a treat. Bryii snickered and threw a chunk of meat up towards the drake. Bryii turned around and walked back in as her drake sat down under the balcony, Bryii put on her armor and grabbed her axe and shield.

" A Crusader working for a Blood Knight....how absurd."

Kailei sighed in relief as Bryii agreed to come and help out. "Thank you Bryii, we are right outside of Splintertree Post, can't really miss us," But she gave the grid coordinates as well. When that was settled she set her communicator aside as well.

Bryii would be here soon enough, and so Kailei decided to get a little bit of rest before she did so. She unbuckled her chest plate and shrugged out of it, the bandages underneath the shirt she wore were still staining with blood. "Oh fel..." She murmered as she unwound the bandages from around her chest. She glanced over her shoulder at the wounds as she stood in front of the mirror. Those damn night elves had whipped her back over and over again until the welts refused to heal as quickly as they should have.

Grabbing some more fresh bandages she managed to get her back covered in the thick embersilk cloth, and she redressed herself. She heard the other Blood Knights outside the tent on patrol, those that weren't patrolling were sleeping and getting as much rest as possible before their attack on the Night Elves. Just as Kailei was about to climb into her cot for a couple hours...there was commotion outside, and the screech of dragons followed by the two soldiers patrolling screams.

Kailei grabbed her communicator and her sheild and sword before rushing out of the tent to see the a troop of Twilight soldiers marching towards Splintertree Post...There were a two smaller sized dragons with them...

"Minions of Deathwing, can this mission possibly get any worse?!" She said as she blessed herself and those around her with her abilities. "BLOOD KNIGHTS! WAKE UP WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!"

The other knights rushed from their tents and resting spots struggling with their gear and weapons as they hurried to the aid of their commander.

She activated her communicator again, "Bryii you better get here sooner than later if possible...and anyone else who may be listening, we might need some additional aid..."

Her voice was calm and clear as she spoke, but her battlecry was heard shortly after, and then the sounds of metal on metal and the screams of the newly injured and dying.

A wolf slumbered deeply on it's side against the command tent. When Kailei burst from the tent yelling a call to arms the wolf jumped with a start, throwing leaves into the air and darted to the outskirts of the camp hoping it had remained undetected.

Kailei had not seen the wolf watching the camp fleeing as the battle began, she was too worried with rushing to the aid of the other soldiers. The sounds of battle rang out through the air...the two smaller dragons had lit the very grounds surrounding them on fire before fleeing, the remaining enemy soldiers...outnumbered Kailei's small troop by 15 men easily. Each Blood Knight fought no less than 3 enemy soldiers, and that included Kailei.

She moved gracefully, but with purpose. Her much smaller frame seemed overwhelmed by the three soldiers she fought. She bashed her shield against the man in front of her before driving her blade right between his eyes, using her boot she pushed him back and off her blade before raising her sheild again to block another incoming blow. Sweat poured down her back beneath the heavy plate armor that she wore, but she kept the advances of the remaining two soldiers off of her, neither of them scoring a hit as she continued to fight.

She spared a glance to her soldiers...and watched as one of them fell to the ground. "NO!!!" She cried out and she bashed another of the men in front of her with her sheild before dashing to the aid of the Blood Knight on the ground. Using her small size to her advantage, she ducked under the arm of the Twilight soldier who was going to kill the fallen Blood Knight, she raised her shield over her head and blocked the would-be death blow, her very arm vibrating behind the force of it. She stood and drove him and his companions back allowing the Blood Knight to get to his feet. He healed himself with his feeble attempt at Light manipulation and was back into the fight beside his commander.

Kailei couldn't help but wonder where the hell Bryii was...there was no way this would be a successful battle if this kept up. Kailei was already beginning to feel herself tire as she drove back the surrounding soldiers with continued swings of her blade and using her sheild as a weapon as well.