Rain fell from the skies over Zangarmarsh as Ishonokos surveyed the encampment below. “I want you to release the hate you have for when your village was destroyed, kill them, and make them hate you. Take that hate and use it as Grim power.” Those were the words his Inquisitor had given him just moments before. “What am I to do…..the High Inquisitor asked me to spy on them…earn their trust and learn their true intentions as they move through the land.” He thought to himself as he watched the Elves, Tuaren and Ancients below. “If I am to do this….there cannot be any survivors…none can ever know who did this or I will fail Ashenfury’s task. I can do both…I have to.” With that the Tuaren shifted to his cat form and slipped into the shadows, this would be a task best done at nightfall.
Late that night an opportunity rose, a small group of elves and several ancients were readying a caravan of supplies to send to one of their many other encampments. Leaping from the mushroom he had perched himself on Ishonokos shifted to his cat form and took to the shadows to follow them, attacking the entirety of the camp was suicide…this caravan was more than enough to send a message and please his superiors. Now several hundred feet from the main camp Ishonokos grinned, eight elves, two ancients and a Tuaren who was unwise enough to join the caravan at the last moment, now was the time, with a deep growl he pounced onto the back of the rear-most elf and raked his claws across it’s throat the blood sprayed from his severed lifeline and covered Ishonokos. The remainder of the caravan quickly turned to see what had attacked their transport, with a few quick shouts they moved to attack Ish. He quickly changed forms once more, the form of the moonkin would serve him well here, and his enemies would be faced with his talons, beak and the powers of the sun and moon.
A quick blast of arcane burst from his feathered hands as an elf leapt at him, sending the body several feet backwards into those who followed him. “Two down, nine to go.” He thought to himself as a sharp yell caught him off guard and yet another of the Kaldorei flung themselves at him in the form of a cat, his talons would end this one, razor sharp and several inches long, a shame so many forget the danger of attacking a druid in this form. As his talons raced along the cat’s side he tore into the beast’s neck with his beak, quickly snapping it with a twist of his head. Next one of his brethren came at him, polearm in hand. The Tuaren jabbed the weapon at Ish’s leg and managed to graze his thigh as another elf rushed towards him. A loud shriek filled the air as Ishonokos felt the blade tear into his thigh; steadying himself he summoned forth a typhoon to knock back the elf in an attempt to keep the fight in his advantage as best he could. Evading another swing of the polearm Ishonokos fired a moonfire beam at his attacker. “A soft sigh of relief escaped Ishonokos’ mouth before the rumble of the ancients footsteps shook the ground he stood on. ‘Right….this is the hard part…how the hell do I even deal with these.” He muttered as he shifted back to his cat form to evade the gnarled limbs that were coming down at him, arrows from the remaining elves landing in the ground near him as he made his way behind a large tree to recuperate.
The Ancients wished to make quick work of Ishonokos as they lumbered towards the tree he had hidden behind, the remainder of the elves stayed near their wagon for cover as they fired arrows into the tree line. Ishonokos quickly peered around the side of the tree just in time to see a large wooden fist coming down to the ground; with an audible yelp he leapt the other direction, exposing himself to the archers. Several arrows flung past him and one found its way into the same leg the Tuaren had attacked earlier. Ish let out a low rumbling growl as he looked to the caravan and launched a starfire into the direction the arrow had come from. The attack missed the elf but managed to tear open the side of the wagon the elves had been hiding in. Wiping blood from his leg Ish moved to avoid the ancients once more, becoming increasingly annoyed by the creatures. Then, one of the elves, another druid shifted forms into that of a cat and charged worked his way around the wagon, pouncing between the ancients as he made his way towards Ishonokos. Ishohokos looked quickly around for a way to evade the cat but he quickly found he had no option but to stand and fight the beat. Reaching to his side Ish pulled a large dagger from its sheath and watched the druid closely. Druid as he may be, his entire clan were hunters first and foremost, he had no doubt the cat would be manageable, but those ancients, nothing in his years of hunting or training had he encountered anything like them.
The cat-druid hissed as it leapt at Ishonokos, its claws lashed out at his chest, tearing across it with ease the cat regained its momentum and moved to close his jaws on Ish’s hand. A quick hoof to the side changed that, knocking the druid to his side Ishonokos moved to drive his dagger into the cat’s ribs. The cat yowled as the dagger sunk into it. Then, there was a rumble and a large thud as the Ancient knocked Ishonokos to his back. The world swayed and turned, Ish slowly stood vision blurred by the blunt force of the Ancients attack. He slowly made his way behind another tree as the ancients closed upon him again. ‘I think there is only one thing I can do to these creatures…I just hope this actually works.” He thought to himself as he glanced back around the tree, they were almost upon him when he shifted to his moonkin form once more, with a loud shriek Ishonokos leapt out and fired a beam of sunfire at the creatures exposing himself to them, and the three elves still somewhere on the other side of the wagons.
This gamble however, proved successful, the Ancients both burst into flame and slowly but surely fell to the ground in a smoldering pile of ashes, It was then the other elves showed themselves. They had snuck around behind Ish and armed themselves with short swords. A blade dragged across Ishonokos’ shoulder, a grumble and a stifled yell escaped his lips as he slowly turned to face his attackers. Another sword was lunged at his neck, this time he was able to evade the weapon. He quickly dropped and rolled to where the other Tuaren’s corpse lied; reaching for the polearm previously used against him he glared at the elves as they moved to encircle him.
Ishonokos hadn’t gotten this far to fail now….three elves against just him would be unfavorable even on his best days, and now he had an arrow in his thigh, and several gashes across his body, time was running out. This needed to end and it needed to end quickly. Ish swung the polearm in a wide sweeping motion, keeping the elves at bay would be key to winning this final fight, the elves circled him cautiously before the one in the middle of the group made his move, quickly lunging forward after the polearm moved past him. His sword glanced past Ish’s ribcage and Ish quickly brought the point of the polearm back around and drove it into the elves shoulder. The remaining elves thought this an opportunity to counterattack. Swinging their swords wildly at Ish, one grazes his arm as he moved to parry the attack, the second elves sword missed entirely as Ish moved to launch a starfire at the head of the elf behind him. As the Kal’dorei fell, the last elf, a middle aged looking woman dropped her sword and quickly fell to the ground. “Please…whatever you want just take it, take it and let me live, I’m too young to die Shu’halo, please….spare me.” Ishonokos lifted his weapon and looked down to the girl with a snort. ‘I’ve come here for you elf, pray for your goddess to have mercy on you, because after what your allies, your friends and family have done to my kind, you will receive none from us. “With that he thrust the tip of his weapon into the girl’s chest and twisted it with a groan. Falling to the ground he sighed, breathing heavily. “It’s done…finally. “
After a short while Ishonokos slowly tended to his wounds as best he could before moving to gather the heads of the elves he had slain. “Bryii is going to want these I suppose; I’ll just leave them in a neat pile at the hall.” After gathering the heads and the tabards of those who wore the cenarion colors, he returned to Orgrimmar to recover, and write the report of his newly completed final task.