Coyotl's New Pupil
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:04 am
(( Might need some minor corrections. Will check it later on. ))
Alakhai enjoyed the peace of their wandering island, where they trained, meditated and practiced the delicious art of the brew. She was still a star simply destined to be born when Shen-zin Su stopped his trips to Pandaria, but she was raised with the passed down knowledge of her homeland and the thought that one day she too might be able to visit... if the Great Turtle ever decided to make his return.
It was a simple time, a simple life, which was changed by war. Not a war directly, but rather one that came spiraling out of the sky and impacted both Shen-zin Su and their lives. In rapid succession they found themselves confronted with the Horde and the Alliance, both factions eager to take the Pandaren under their tutelage and aim them for their own homelands.
Curious, Alakhai listened to both their tales of war and reasoning. Though she was fond of carrying a cask with her and always in the brew, Alakhai was much more conscious of her surroundings than some were led to believe. Before long, she sided with the Horde and was sent to Orgimmar, where she was told by Garrosh himself that under no certain terms was she to befriend any Pandaren who wore the blue of the Alliance. It was a silly concept to her, why would she wish to speak with one who had so obviously chosen poorly?
Orgimmar was culture shock for the young woman, much as she was an odd sight for the denizens of the capital city. She spoke with members of the other races, trying to find a good way to fold herself into the Horde. The elves were too fancy for her tastes, the goblins too obsessed with gold. The trolls she spoke to were very connected to their spirits, which she found a sense of common ground (if by spirits you meant brew!), and with the tauren she felt an odd kinship. And the Forsaken... well, they were a people she simply could not understand.
Winding her way to the heights of Orgimmar, she climbed a tower and found herself at a zeppelin headed for Thunder Bluff. The airship presented to her the spectacular views afforded to the Horde; the dry lands of Durotar, the rushing river that separated it from the Barrens, the warzone of the Charred Vale. It wasn't until they neared Thunder Bluff that she caught sight of the absolute beauty of lush lands that the Tauren had so carefully blocked off from war. It was also along this flight that she was the cataclysmic breaking of the land; a story that had been told to her by a Tauren woman with whom she spoke in Orgimmar. A dragon had sundered the land? The mere idea caused her to realize that she would never return to the peace of Shen-zin Su, nor did she wish to return.
After landing in Thunder Bluff, she explored the city for hours until the sun set and she felt the tired ache of over-sensation. So much information and knowledge absorbed in a single day; it was exhausting! That night she settled into an inn, though she had no Horde currency to spend. The innkeeper merely asked for a promise, that the next day she would head down to Bloodhoof Village and aid the woman's ailing sister. Alakhai agreed and rested peacefully that night.
The next morning, Alakhai awoke refreshed and anxious to learn more of her new compatriots. Making due on her promise, she headed into the village below Thunder Bluff and sought out Pala's sister, Walda. That day Alakhai aided Walda in catching up on chores, fished with others to help in feeding the village and gathered wood for the fires at night. Walda thanked her and that evening she asked for Alakhai's story. Around the bonfire, before the majority of Bloodhoof Village, Alakhai told the tale of the great sea turtle, Shen-zin Su and how he carried upon his back Liu Lang, his wanderlust-charged followers and their descendants. She regaled them with the assault of the Skyseeker, the Alliance marines and Horde prisoners who were aboard the failed vessel. At their side, Alakhai aided in the healing of Shen-zin Su's massive wound and then was drawn into the Horde encampment to speak with their makeshift leader.
"And here I am!" concluded Alakhai, looking out at the faces of the local Tauren. She smiled, seeing that they had enjoyed her tale and then settled back onto the ground as the storyteller role passed to another.
That night Alakhai was made to feel like part of the tribe. Many stories were shared, along with smoke and drink. As the moons made their arcs in the sky, the elders began to retreat to their homes and the group remaining around the bonfire grew more raucous. When only Alakhai and four others remained, the stories took a decided tilt toward more mischievous, though Alakhai would not realize this until the next day.
The final tale of the night was told by a young Tauren named Skall. With a wink of amusement to his brother, Jark, Skall told the legend of a local bear who was so evasive that many did not believe in his existence. "His eyes are like thick ice and his hide scarred with the test of time," spoke Skall in a hush tone, leaning toward Alakhai. On the other side of her, a young female named Nani shook her head and tsk'd at Skall. Maybe it was the smoke, something new to Alakhai, or perhaps the extra heady brew that they drank, but she stared at Skall wide-eyed and listened intently. Skall had her; hook, line and sinker. "We believe that any who can take on the great bear and return wearing his hide is lana awanku," he said, slipping into Taur-ahe. Blinking from the spell, Alakhai looked immediately at Jark who blinked back at her and then exclaimed, "Oh! Blessed. My brother means blessed. Incredibly blessed." With that story told, the group called it a night and each drifted off to their own resting place.
The next morning Alakhai broke her fast and then stated to Walda that she wanted to explore. Walda thanked her for her aid the day before and told her to be safe, that the occasional Alliance soldier still made their way into Mulgore. She followed the road toward the long-closed valley heading toward the lost Camp Taurajo. She headed north along the mountain range, peeking into crevices and looking into nooks and crannies. Hours passed before she spotted the cave. Quietly, using every ounce of her skill, Alakhai approached and leaned inside, looking into the darkness. The scent inside was sharp, not necessarily of rot but certainly of decay. Just as she was about to slip inside, a loud snort exploded above her head. Startled, Alakhai gasped and straightened out and came eye-to-eye with a massive bear with ice blue eyes.
They stared at one another for a full minute, both of them frozen but for their breath entering and exiting. With clearly an idea in mind, Alakhai gave a shout and nimbly leaped into the air and landed alongside the bear, who passively swung his head tracking her movement with little effort. Alakhai dropped into her stance, bouncing lightly on her heels and before she could begin her assault, Niyol rose from his sprawled position atop his cave and turned to face the tiny Pandaren. She gawked and steeled herself before throwing two jabs and a spinning kick at the bear. Too distracted from anything beyond the bear, Alakhai missed the sudden roar of laughter that rose from the treeline in front of the cave's entrance. Niyol would have laughed himself, but she had happened to jab him directly in his nose; a spot that long ago should have lost all sensitivity but instead it had become more along the lines of an exposed nerve. Shaking off the pain, Niyol advanced; Alakhai bounced back in retreat. Surging onto his rear feet, he roared and then slammed his massive front paws onto the ground on either side of her. The nearby trees exploded as wildlife sought to escape in a panic and the ground shook beneath Alakhai's feet, knocking her to her rear. Niyol leaped forward and drew his face in tight with her own, "I see you've found my cousins, little one."
Alakhai's adrenaline had been surging and she tried to scramble away, but he moved his paw down on her stomach. "Calm yourself, I'm not going to harm you. It seems you've fallen prey to a poor joke," Niyol rumbled to her.
"I-- I-- I'm sorry to have intruded on your meditation, Great Bear!" Her head snapped to the side as the laughter became even more boisterous and she caught sight of both Skall and Jark.
He snorted and leaned back, taking his paw off of her, "Great Bear? Sounds like they wove quite a tale..."
"Skall told me that if I were to bring back your fur I would be.... lana awanku," she replied, barely stuttering over the words she believed were Taur-ahe.
"Lana awanku?" Niyol turned his attention to his younger cousins and inwardly sighed. Setting the little Pandaren up to attack him was one thing, to teach her fake Taur-ahe was another entirely.
"Blessed, Jark translated. Incredibly blessed, in fact!" she stated matter-of-factly as she stood, dusting herself off. A moment later she hung her head, realizing that they had tricked her twice.
"Come, little one. Let's return to Bloodhoof and talk some more."
Niyol knelt down and allowed her to climb onto his back. He paused only long enough to give his cousins a sour look then leaped down from the cave top and galloped off toward the village. Once there, they settled down and conversed well into the night, with Alakhai re-telling her story once again. Niyol tried to fill her in on the war between the Horde and the Alliance, how vast their lands were and just how much she could do if she were attempt to truly take herself into the world. Alakhai seemed bright, but obviously young and inexperienced. There would be much for her to learn. A blank slate, a willing pupil; Niyol would be her mentor if she desired.
The next morning, Alakhai agreed to be Niyol's pupil. He nodded to the young girl and explained the Mandate. Garrosh had already given a small base for Niyol, and the Grim, to expand upon by declaring the Pandaren who sided with the Alliance to be verboten. Niyol built upon this base, shaped her young mind to see the wrong deeds of the Alliance and how the Grim did their part by wrecking destruction upon them.
He did not include the furry bomb that Bloodscream and Anaie were attempting to build. That would be too much for the girl.
Beyond the Alliance they also fought against the evils of the world, most recently putting an end to Deathwing himself. Was this something that she felt she could aid in? Something that she could fully dedicate herself toward? Something that would live not just in her mind, but her heart as well? Was she prepared to risk her life and limb to further their mission?
When he fell silent, Alakhai smiled and stated simply, "Yes."
Nodding, Niyol drew a stone from his nearby satchel and rubbed his thumb along the side. The blue runic marking on it glowered and the often quite druid said aloud, "Grim, welcome my pupil, Alakhai. She will be wearing our tabard soon." From the stone rose a number of voices welcoming her, along with perhaps someone yelling Fresh meat!.
Alakhai smiled, feeling truly at home for the first time since leaving Shen-zin Su.
Alakhai enjoyed the peace of their wandering island, where they trained, meditated and practiced the delicious art of the brew. She was still a star simply destined to be born when Shen-zin Su stopped his trips to Pandaria, but she was raised with the passed down knowledge of her homeland and the thought that one day she too might be able to visit... if the Great Turtle ever decided to make his return.
It was a simple time, a simple life, which was changed by war. Not a war directly, but rather one that came spiraling out of the sky and impacted both Shen-zin Su and their lives. In rapid succession they found themselves confronted with the Horde and the Alliance, both factions eager to take the Pandaren under their tutelage and aim them for their own homelands.
Curious, Alakhai listened to both their tales of war and reasoning. Though she was fond of carrying a cask with her and always in the brew, Alakhai was much more conscious of her surroundings than some were led to believe. Before long, she sided with the Horde and was sent to Orgimmar, where she was told by Garrosh himself that under no certain terms was she to befriend any Pandaren who wore the blue of the Alliance. It was a silly concept to her, why would she wish to speak with one who had so obviously chosen poorly?
Orgimmar was culture shock for the young woman, much as she was an odd sight for the denizens of the capital city. She spoke with members of the other races, trying to find a good way to fold herself into the Horde. The elves were too fancy for her tastes, the goblins too obsessed with gold. The trolls she spoke to were very connected to their spirits, which she found a sense of common ground (if by spirits you meant brew!), and with the tauren she felt an odd kinship. And the Forsaken... well, they were a people she simply could not understand.
Winding her way to the heights of Orgimmar, she climbed a tower and found herself at a zeppelin headed for Thunder Bluff. The airship presented to her the spectacular views afforded to the Horde; the dry lands of Durotar, the rushing river that separated it from the Barrens, the warzone of the Charred Vale. It wasn't until they neared Thunder Bluff that she caught sight of the absolute beauty of lush lands that the Tauren had so carefully blocked off from war. It was also along this flight that she was the cataclysmic breaking of the land; a story that had been told to her by a Tauren woman with whom she spoke in Orgimmar. A dragon had sundered the land? The mere idea caused her to realize that she would never return to the peace of Shen-zin Su, nor did she wish to return.
After landing in Thunder Bluff, she explored the city for hours until the sun set and she felt the tired ache of over-sensation. So much information and knowledge absorbed in a single day; it was exhausting! That night she settled into an inn, though she had no Horde currency to spend. The innkeeper merely asked for a promise, that the next day she would head down to Bloodhoof Village and aid the woman's ailing sister. Alakhai agreed and rested peacefully that night.
The next morning, Alakhai awoke refreshed and anxious to learn more of her new compatriots. Making due on her promise, she headed into the village below Thunder Bluff and sought out Pala's sister, Walda. That day Alakhai aided Walda in catching up on chores, fished with others to help in feeding the village and gathered wood for the fires at night. Walda thanked her and that evening she asked for Alakhai's story. Around the bonfire, before the majority of Bloodhoof Village, Alakhai told the tale of the great sea turtle, Shen-zin Su and how he carried upon his back Liu Lang, his wanderlust-charged followers and their descendants. She regaled them with the assault of the Skyseeker, the Alliance marines and Horde prisoners who were aboard the failed vessel. At their side, Alakhai aided in the healing of Shen-zin Su's massive wound and then was drawn into the Horde encampment to speak with their makeshift leader.
"And here I am!" concluded Alakhai, looking out at the faces of the local Tauren. She smiled, seeing that they had enjoyed her tale and then settled back onto the ground as the storyteller role passed to another.
That night Alakhai was made to feel like part of the tribe. Many stories were shared, along with smoke and drink. As the moons made their arcs in the sky, the elders began to retreat to their homes and the group remaining around the bonfire grew more raucous. When only Alakhai and four others remained, the stories took a decided tilt toward more mischievous, though Alakhai would not realize this until the next day.
The final tale of the night was told by a young Tauren named Skall. With a wink of amusement to his brother, Jark, Skall told the legend of a local bear who was so evasive that many did not believe in his existence. "His eyes are like thick ice and his hide scarred with the test of time," spoke Skall in a hush tone, leaning toward Alakhai. On the other side of her, a young female named Nani shook her head and tsk'd at Skall. Maybe it was the smoke, something new to Alakhai, or perhaps the extra heady brew that they drank, but she stared at Skall wide-eyed and listened intently. Skall had her; hook, line and sinker. "We believe that any who can take on the great bear and return wearing his hide is lana awanku," he said, slipping into Taur-ahe. Blinking from the spell, Alakhai looked immediately at Jark who blinked back at her and then exclaimed, "Oh! Blessed. My brother means blessed. Incredibly blessed." With that story told, the group called it a night and each drifted off to their own resting place.
The next morning Alakhai broke her fast and then stated to Walda that she wanted to explore. Walda thanked her for her aid the day before and told her to be safe, that the occasional Alliance soldier still made their way into Mulgore. She followed the road toward the long-closed valley heading toward the lost Camp Taurajo. She headed north along the mountain range, peeking into crevices and looking into nooks and crannies. Hours passed before she spotted the cave. Quietly, using every ounce of her skill, Alakhai approached and leaned inside, looking into the darkness. The scent inside was sharp, not necessarily of rot but certainly of decay. Just as she was about to slip inside, a loud snort exploded above her head. Startled, Alakhai gasped and straightened out and came eye-to-eye with a massive bear with ice blue eyes.
They stared at one another for a full minute, both of them frozen but for their breath entering and exiting. With clearly an idea in mind, Alakhai gave a shout and nimbly leaped into the air and landed alongside the bear, who passively swung his head tracking her movement with little effort. Alakhai dropped into her stance, bouncing lightly on her heels and before she could begin her assault, Niyol rose from his sprawled position atop his cave and turned to face the tiny Pandaren. She gawked and steeled herself before throwing two jabs and a spinning kick at the bear. Too distracted from anything beyond the bear, Alakhai missed the sudden roar of laughter that rose from the treeline in front of the cave's entrance. Niyol would have laughed himself, but she had happened to jab him directly in his nose; a spot that long ago should have lost all sensitivity but instead it had become more along the lines of an exposed nerve. Shaking off the pain, Niyol advanced; Alakhai bounced back in retreat. Surging onto his rear feet, he roared and then slammed his massive front paws onto the ground on either side of her. The nearby trees exploded as wildlife sought to escape in a panic and the ground shook beneath Alakhai's feet, knocking her to her rear. Niyol leaped forward and drew his face in tight with her own, "I see you've found my cousins, little one."
Alakhai's adrenaline had been surging and she tried to scramble away, but he moved his paw down on her stomach. "Calm yourself, I'm not going to harm you. It seems you've fallen prey to a poor joke," Niyol rumbled to her.
"I-- I-- I'm sorry to have intruded on your meditation, Great Bear!" Her head snapped to the side as the laughter became even more boisterous and she caught sight of both Skall and Jark.
He snorted and leaned back, taking his paw off of her, "Great Bear? Sounds like they wove quite a tale..."
"Skall told me that if I were to bring back your fur I would be.... lana awanku," she replied, barely stuttering over the words she believed were Taur-ahe.
"Lana awanku?" Niyol turned his attention to his younger cousins and inwardly sighed. Setting the little Pandaren up to attack him was one thing, to teach her fake Taur-ahe was another entirely.
"Blessed, Jark translated. Incredibly blessed, in fact!" she stated matter-of-factly as she stood, dusting herself off. A moment later she hung her head, realizing that they had tricked her twice.
"Come, little one. Let's return to Bloodhoof and talk some more."
Niyol knelt down and allowed her to climb onto his back. He paused only long enough to give his cousins a sour look then leaped down from the cave top and galloped off toward the village. Once there, they settled down and conversed well into the night, with Alakhai re-telling her story once again. Niyol tried to fill her in on the war between the Horde and the Alliance, how vast their lands were and just how much she could do if she were attempt to truly take herself into the world. Alakhai seemed bright, but obviously young and inexperienced. There would be much for her to learn. A blank slate, a willing pupil; Niyol would be her mentor if she desired.
The next morning, Alakhai agreed to be Niyol's pupil. He nodded to the young girl and explained the Mandate. Garrosh had already given a small base for Niyol, and the Grim, to expand upon by declaring the Pandaren who sided with the Alliance to be verboten. Niyol built upon this base, shaped her young mind to see the wrong deeds of the Alliance and how the Grim did their part by wrecking destruction upon them.
He did not include the furry bomb that Bloodscream and Anaie were attempting to build. That would be too much for the girl.
Beyond the Alliance they also fought against the evils of the world, most recently putting an end to Deathwing himself. Was this something that she felt she could aid in? Something that she could fully dedicate herself toward? Something that would live not just in her mind, but her heart as well? Was she prepared to risk her life and limb to further their mission?
When he fell silent, Alakhai smiled and stated simply, "Yes."
Nodding, Niyol drew a stone from his nearby satchel and rubbed his thumb along the side. The blue runic marking on it glowered and the often quite druid said aloud, "Grim, welcome my pupil, Alakhai. She will be wearing our tabard soon." From the stone rose a number of voices welcoming her, along with perhaps someone yelling Fresh meat!.
Alakhai smiled, feeling truly at home for the first time since leaving Shen-zin Su.