Around The Campfire by Ashagga

[Keeper Of Lore]

Muatah snarled, and his eyes narrowed.

"You lie, Ashagga. You say these things now because you are trapped. You were going to attack the Seer if he did not do what you wanted. I saw it with my eyes and I heard it with my ears."

His head cocked to the side slightly, and he spoke as if to the air... "Yes, Chingaso. My arrow is pointed at the chest of this woman. I will kill her, too, if she so much as makes one wrong twitch."

His eyes moved to Syreena, briefly, and he nodded. "Sister." Then back to Ashagga and Yichimet. The low half-growl that had been coming from him changed to a sigh..... and when he spoke next his voice was again low, his eyes tinged with what just might be called sadness.

"We both know what will happen next, Seer, do we not? You will let her do as she wishes..... or rather as the Spirits who control her through her need and her weakness wish...

..... and then Grim will die."

[Keeper Of Lore]

Ashagga turned her fiery glare on Muatah. "You saw and heard what you wanted to see and hear, hunter. Your senses are fine, no one doubts that. Now use your brain. If I had wanted Yichimet dead, he would have been bleeding when you arrived."

Ashagga shook her head. "I drew my weapons in defense of myself. I said I would have regretted killing Yichimet, and that is truth. Had he attacked me, as I felt he was like to do, I would have defended myself. I would have tried not to kill him, but battle is battle. You know that, Muatah. A blade is not made to heal. I WILL defend myself if necessary. I will not let you butcher me simply because you have decided I am a threat. If I were inclined to do that, I would not be a Grim."

[Keeper Of Lore]

When the flames around Ashagga died down and she and Yichimet began talking again, Syreena let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the chance of anyone attacking decreased, and she would not have to choose sides, though if she were honest with herself, she knew her side was already chosen the moment she stepped into the ring of light from the campfire.

The little rogue flinched at Muatah's accusations to Ashagga, and her argument in her defense. Syreena was surprised, however, that his patience had held out as long as it had. It was the Grim way to eliminate problems and kill any who posed a threat. Peace through annihilation--perhaps that did not only include Alliance. But Ashagga was a Grim. They wouldn't just kill her, would they?

With a sigh, the confusion left the rogue's expression. She dropped her hands to the daggers at her sides as she moved out of the campfire's light and disappeared from sight to observe from the shadows.

[Keeper Of Lore]

by Lupen

The faint echo's of the Warlock's hearthstone resonated in half of a whisper. He could feel the tension, the confusion... Not only within Ashagga, but with the whole group. Part of him wished to grin, like he would while taking any sadistic pleasure, the other half wished to frown, seeing his Grim Brothers and Sisters forced into a tempest of torment. Perhaps once he had other motives in using The Grim to further his agenda, but those days were long gone, each moment of his fighting was for The Grim, and none other.

His face reamined indifferent as he concentrated his mind and will into the Nether. He saw the situation with crystal clairity. In an instant, akin to an adrenaline rush or a rage of blood, his physical form became one with the Nether, and his shade came to shape. From the blackened ash, the shadow-being stood. His visage was the all-too-familiar Lupen, disfigured, abrasive to the eyes... Lupen the Arch Dread Magus.

The shade stood, as if rising from the fire. He turned full circle to view the situation, and then to the Lasher... How he simultaniously loved and loathed that blade. He walked over to the walls of the canyon and leaned his form against the rocks.

There was a rough sound of breathing from the Shade, as if taking all of it in...

[Keeper Of Lore]

Chingaso made a noise that started as a low, barely audible growl, and developed into words Chingaso never expected to speak to the one he considered his mentor...

"Chingaso thank Muatah for remove arrow from bow before Chingaso break."

Around Chingaso, spirits of outrage and distress howled into the night...

[Keeper Of Lore]

As Lupen and Chingaso appeared, Yichimet caught Muatah's eye in a way he hoped said We will talk, Brave, and turned back to Ashagga. Chingaso's threat was Muatah's to handle.

"I was not going to attack you, Ashagga. We both were defending ourselves. You are my sister, even if you are no longer the sister I knew. You heard words in my words that were not there because we both were afraid.

His hand was still on Ashagga's cheek, what he had hoped would be a comforting move but which had made her tense, afraid again. "The Brave is right. You use yet another tool to try to control what controls you. I have walked that Path before. If you do not get off it soon, there will be nothing of you left, only those things around you.

"But you will do what you will do."

He looked again at Muatah, he hoped forcing meaning onto the Brave: Now is not the time, but soon.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Ashagga heard Yichimet's words, really HEARD them, and it made her shiver. She knew he was right, that Sul'thraze was at best a delay, buying her some time. She had to clean her mind, or she would eventually be nothing but a collection of voices shouting for control of her meat body, her own but one of a legion trying to exist in the same place at the same time.

She relaxed, closing her eyes, and leaning slightly into the shaman's furred hand. Yichimet, dear Yichimet. How she had ever considered harming him was beyond her. She should have trusted him, but fear had nearly made fools of them both. In that, at least, he was right: Sul'thraze was dangerous, even if only for the conflict it could cause just by existing. She resolved to speak to Lupen, to end the problem as soon as possible.

She opened her eyes once more and turned to Muatah. Everything seemed to be in the hunter's hands, now, and all she, Chingaso, Yichimet, and Syreena could do was wait.

[Keeper Of Lore]

The expression on Muatahs' face said more about what he thought of this sudden easing of the tension between Yichimet and Ashagga than any word could.

For a long moment he stared at first one, then the other of them. Then, with a shake of his head and a muttered "Madness" from his mouth, he relaxed the tension on his bow and slung it over his shoulder.

"Remember my words, Ashagga." His tone was as cold as his eyes.

A quick half-whistle to Wolf, an inclination of his head to Yichimet, and he turned around and he turned and began to walk off into the darkness. At the edge of the firelight he paused, and for the first time looked directly back over his shoulder at Chingaso, one side of his mouth curled up ever so slightly.

"If you ever wish to test whether of not you can break my bow, Chingaso, simply let me know."

With a laugh that was as much roar as it was anything else, and a howl from Wolf, he was gone.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Ashagga breathed a sigh of relief when the large hunter vanished. Muatah was the finest hunter in all Azeroth, and he intimidated her. She had heard stories of the brave's power and skill, and she did not want him as her enemy.

With a few twists of her wrists, the leather bindings fell away, and she tucked a handful of flash powder back in her pouch. She was glad she had not needed to use them. Sul'thraze tugged at the back of her mind, but she was not concerned. She knew where the blade was and would swiftly recover it.

She looked around and smiled. "Syreena... Yichimet... Chingaso..." She turned to the fire, and the coal in her not-eye grew brighter. "Even you, Lupen." She grinned. "Yes, I can see you. I hope you can hear me."

"The four of you are my closest and dearest friends. I trust you all more than anyone else, and I seek your advice and companionship. Help me with my troubles... I admit, I am foolhardy. Help me to find a better way."