Part One: Call of the Hunter
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
KA-THUNK!
The tankard was slammed down on the sturdy wooden table millimeters from the still quivering dagger and some of Suntouched's Special Brew slopped over the side. The young Blood Elf glanced up guiltily to meet the glowing gaze of the innkeeper and snatched the knife up.
"Have you nothing better to do with your time than tear up my tables, young hunter?" Kail Dawnrider asked rather acidly.
There was a snort from the floor and bright green eyes dropped to the Elder Spingpaw stretched out by the chair, ripping through a rather large haunch of meat. "Commentary to yourself, Seika, or you'll be sleeping outside the tent for a week," the girl growled.
The large cat gave her an injured look and she sighed. "I apologize, Kail," she said. "I will endeavor not to do that anymore. Have you sanding paper? I'll fix it."
"You won't either, Amatsiru. Last time I let you do that, I had to replace the entire table," he scowled. "I'll have Shadrach tend to it later, however, refraining from further damaging the table will be greatly appreciated."
Amatsiru Bloodrayvn made a face and reluctantly sheathed her knife. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"You've been in her everyday for the past month," Kail observed. "I would have thought you would have found another hunt to amuse yourself by now. Aren't you bored?"
"More than you would ever believe," Amatsiru admitted, "but I've already done all the kiddie stuff and Mother insists I remain close to home because Amatsira is 'busy with her studies'. I've done everything I can do from here to Falconwing Square and down into Fairbreeze. You can only bring in so much of the same bounty so many times before it gets old. She forbade me from going past the Dead Scar to the Farstrider Retreat or even Silvermoon! How many people my age have never even been to Silvermoon?"
She expelled a exasperated sigh and flopped back against the back of the chair, her mouth a line of discontent. "Even he got to go see Silvermoon, Kail," she complained.
"Have you tried talking to your father yet?" the innkeeper inquired as she finally picked up the tankard and took her first drink.
She choked on the brew and set the tankard down. "My father just says that Mother knows best and I should listen to her," Amatsiru complained. "I tried that first. I explained how my skills are going to waste hunting small game here when there's some things a lot bigger...and more interesting...out there."
She gestured vaguely in the direction of Silvermoon and sighed again. "Mother says that Amatsira is bringing great honour to the family studying with Master Antheol at Stillwhisper Pond and that I should watch the family lands for her until she returns as a full Mage. It's not my fault I didn't show any particular skill in spellcrafting. About the only thing I have managed to get Father to do is show me how to hunt and that stopped almost as soon as it started because Mother commanded him to 'stop filling my head with nonsense'. She tells me a mere Hunter will never bring prestige to the Bloodravyn name, but the Farstriders are known far and wide and greatly respected. I know if I had just a little more practical experience I could get into it--I would be the greatest Farstrider ever."
"Isn't that a little arrogant?" Kail said with a slight smile.
Amatsiru flushed lightly at his observation. "I suppose so," she agreed, "maybe not the best, but I think I'd be really good at it."
Kail gave her a sympathetic look. "Perhaps so, but do you really want to go against Magistrix Bloodravyn's orders?"
"Sometimes, I wonder," Amatsiru said and put her elbows on the table, clasping her hands and resting her chin against them. "If I somehow managed to make a proper name of myself and brought great honour to the family, she would eventually forgive me, right?"
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Kail said gently.
Amatsiru sighed softly.
Exiting the inn a few minutes later, Amatsiru cast a knowing glance at the sky. “It’s going to storm tonight,” she commented to the large cat padding silently beside her.
“Still talking to animals, eh?”
The laconic drawl coming from behind her was known all too well to Amatsiru and a smile curved her lips. “The animals make better conversationalists than others I can think of,” she commented slyly.
“Hey now, is that any way to speak to someone you haven’t seen in a few years? Maybe I won’t tell you what I found out.”
Amatsiru whirled around and met the amused gaze of the slightly taller blonde. “What did you find out, Draahs?”
A piece of parchment appeared through sleight-of-hand and was held just out of Amatsiru’s reach. “I don’t know if I want to tell you now,” Draahs smirked. “What’s it worth to ya?”
“Not punching you in the face?” Amatsiru suggested.
“You’d have to do better than that, I could just leave you rot here since obviously you are well out of the normal rounds of messengers,” Draahs smirked.
“Draahs, please?” Amatsiru pleaded. “I’m going insane here!”
“On one condition,” she said.
“What?” Amatsiru asked guardedly.
“If ya get to go, I get to go with you, just like when we were kids,” Draahs responded.
“Like I could leave you behind if you wanted to go,” the dark-haired girl grinned.
Draahs grinned. “You’ve got that right, but I figured I’d ask first.”
She handed Amatsiru the message and the Blood Elf skimmed it, her bright eyes widening. “Hunters wanted, emissary to the Horde, dangerous work, good pay apply in person…I’ve only got four days to get there!” Amatsiru exclaimed. “If Mother-“
“Amatsiru, the Magistrix has summoned you.”
The voice interrupted their conversation and Amatsiru’s eyes flew to the impassive face of one of the Magistrix’s personal guards. “I am coming,” Amatsiru told him and sighed inwardly. “She’s probably going to forbid me from going.”
Amatsiru spared a brief smile for the guard before taking off for the Assembly Hall. Draahs loped easily along beside her. “Wasn’t that your brother?” she frowned.
“He’s a Blood Knight now,” Amatsiru responded. “He’s still out of favour with Mother for choosing that path against her wishes.”
“Will he ever regain her favour?”
Amatsiru gave her best shrug as they ran. “I cannot say. Mother is rather stingy with it. Perhaps if he became the King’s Bodyguard?” she suggested. “It is all about status. We Bloodrayvns are ranked low on the Council and that is simply unacceptable to Mother. She is trying hard to secure our position and we cannot dispute her.”
They arrived at the Assembly Hall and Draahs fell back and stopped at the gate. “I’ll wait here. I’m not allowed in her presence anymore,” the blond said with a lopsided smile.
“Oh, yeah,” Amatsiru murmured. “I’ll be back.”
She walked through the gates and the guards bowed just slightly to her. She acknowledged them with a grave nod and proceeded forward. As she reached the doors leading inside, one of the female guards moved to intercept her. “Your-creature is to remain outside. Its smell displeases the Magistrix.”
Amatsiru glanced down at Seika apologetically and the great cat silently moved aside and settled on the grown to wait. Amatsiru turned her gaze back to the guard. “May I continue?”
The guard moved grudgingly aside and Amatsiru cast a confused look in her direction before entering the main hall. She entered the dimly lit room and stopped at the edge of the carpet leading to her mother’s dais and waited silently for acknowledgement.
“I hear you were found with distasteful company when you were summoned,” the Magistrix observed. “What have I told you of being around rogues, Amatsiru? Such company doe not befit any Bloodrayvn regardless of past connections.”
“I-“ Amatsiru began.
“It is currently of no matter. Approach.”
Amatsiru forced her legs into motion unable to avoid the thick feeling of dread rising up to choke her. She stopped a few paces from the first step and lifted her eyes to meet the glowing blue of her mother’s.
Magistrix Amaterasu Bloodrayvn was imposing even seated as she was on her chair. The look on her face didn’t’ help matters as it was a cross between irritation and another emotion Amatsiru couldn’t name. When she spoke, Amatsiru barely kept her anxiety in check, hiding behind the same impassiveness her brother had perfected.
“It seems word of your-profession,” Amaterasu almost spat out the word and Amatsiru inwardly flinched, “has spread even to the Sunfury Spire.”
Amatsiru maintained her silence watching her liege warily and idly wondering if she, like her brother before her, was about to be stripped of rank, name, and family privilege. Even before her mother spoke, she began to go over her current inventory of stuff and trying to figure out where to go. She nearly held her breath as the Magistrix continued. “Do you know what I received, Amatsiru?”
“No, your grace, I do not,” she replied respectfully.
“It is a summons-to Silvermoon,” the Magistrix informed her flatly.
“A…summons?” Amatsiru repeated. “I do not understand. I have never been to Silvermoon nor helped anyone from there in years as you commanded.”
“Obviously someone spoke of you, Amatsiru,” the elder Blood Elf scowled. “I have been far too indulgent of you lately.”
Amatsiru stiffened slightly and prepared for the worst.
“However, even I cannot deny a royal summons.”
Amaterasu tapped the white envelope against her glossed lips, her gaze calculating. “Perhaps this will work in our favour. You will participate in this “Great Hunt” of his majesty’s, though I do feel as if this silly game of petitioning for admittance to this “Horde” is beneath us, however, it is our prince’s command. You will go and answer the summons. Come forward.”
Amatsiru carefully ascended the dais and accepted the letter from her mother. She opened it, barely noting the fact the outside of it declared the contents for her only. Pulling the parchment out, she skimmed it and found almost the exact same message as what Draahs had presented, but the print was gold embossed and signed by the Prince himself. “There are only two days before the appointed day,” Amatsiru frowned.
“Then you had best leave immediately, hadn’t you?” the Magistrix said coldly. “Dismissed.”
Amatsiru bowed deeply, her mind racing as to how to get to Silvermoon in less than two days-the journey was almost always at least three even by hawkstrider. She backed away from the Magistrix for the appropriate length before turned her back and heading for the door.
“Amatsiru.”
The Blood Elf Hunter froze in her tracks at her mother’s tone.
“Return with honour or do not return at all.”
“As you command.”
Okay, I am not sure I have all the terminology quite correct, I'm still learning as I move along and I will eventually have to find a complete rundown of the history of Warcraft so I hopefully don't make too many glaring errors. Feel free to correct me as necessary ^_^
Thanks for reading ^_^
KA-THUNK!
The tankard was slammed down on the sturdy wooden table millimeters from the still quivering dagger and some of Suntouched's Special Brew slopped over the side. The young Blood Elf glanced up guiltily to meet the glowing gaze of the innkeeper and snatched the knife up.
"Have you nothing better to do with your time than tear up my tables, young hunter?" Kail Dawnrider asked rather acidly.
There was a snort from the floor and bright green eyes dropped to the Elder Spingpaw stretched out by the chair, ripping through a rather large haunch of meat. "Commentary to yourself, Seika, or you'll be sleeping outside the tent for a week," the girl growled.
The large cat gave her an injured look and she sighed. "I apologize, Kail," she said. "I will endeavor not to do that anymore. Have you sanding paper? I'll fix it."
"You won't either, Amatsiru. Last time I let you do that, I had to replace the entire table," he scowled. "I'll have Shadrach tend to it later, however, refraining from further damaging the table will be greatly appreciated."
Amatsiru Bloodrayvn made a face and reluctantly sheathed her knife. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"You've been in her everyday for the past month," Kail observed. "I would have thought you would have found another hunt to amuse yourself by now. Aren't you bored?"
"More than you would ever believe," Amatsiru admitted, "but I've already done all the kiddie stuff and Mother insists I remain close to home because Amatsira is 'busy with her studies'. I've done everything I can do from here to Falconwing Square and down into Fairbreeze. You can only bring in so much of the same bounty so many times before it gets old. She forbade me from going past the Dead Scar to the Farstrider Retreat or even Silvermoon! How many people my age have never even been to Silvermoon?"
She expelled a exasperated sigh and flopped back against the back of the chair, her mouth a line of discontent. "Even he got to go see Silvermoon, Kail," she complained.
"Have you tried talking to your father yet?" the innkeeper inquired as she finally picked up the tankard and took her first drink.
She choked on the brew and set the tankard down. "My father just says that Mother knows best and I should listen to her," Amatsiru complained. "I tried that first. I explained how my skills are going to waste hunting small game here when there's some things a lot bigger...and more interesting...out there."
She gestured vaguely in the direction of Silvermoon and sighed again. "Mother says that Amatsira is bringing great honour to the family studying with Master Antheol at Stillwhisper Pond and that I should watch the family lands for her until she returns as a full Mage. It's not my fault I didn't show any particular skill in spellcrafting. About the only thing I have managed to get Father to do is show me how to hunt and that stopped almost as soon as it started because Mother commanded him to 'stop filling my head with nonsense'. She tells me a mere Hunter will never bring prestige to the Bloodravyn name, but the Farstriders are known far and wide and greatly respected. I know if I had just a little more practical experience I could get into it--I would be the greatest Farstrider ever."
"Isn't that a little arrogant?" Kail said with a slight smile.
Amatsiru flushed lightly at his observation. "I suppose so," she agreed, "maybe not the best, but I think I'd be really good at it."
Kail gave her a sympathetic look. "Perhaps so, but do you really want to go against Magistrix Bloodravyn's orders?"
"Sometimes, I wonder," Amatsiru said and put her elbows on the table, clasping her hands and resting her chin against them. "If I somehow managed to make a proper name of myself and brought great honour to the family, she would eventually forgive me, right?"
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Kail said gently.
Amatsiru sighed softly.
Exiting the inn a few minutes later, Amatsiru cast a knowing glance at the sky. “It’s going to storm tonight,” she commented to the large cat padding silently beside her.
“Still talking to animals, eh?”
The laconic drawl coming from behind her was known all too well to Amatsiru and a smile curved her lips. “The animals make better conversationalists than others I can think of,” she commented slyly.
“Hey now, is that any way to speak to someone you haven’t seen in a few years? Maybe I won’t tell you what I found out.”
Amatsiru whirled around and met the amused gaze of the slightly taller blonde. “What did you find out, Draahs?”
A piece of parchment appeared through sleight-of-hand and was held just out of Amatsiru’s reach. “I don’t know if I want to tell you now,” Draahs smirked. “What’s it worth to ya?”
“Not punching you in the face?” Amatsiru suggested.
“You’d have to do better than that, I could just leave you rot here since obviously you are well out of the normal rounds of messengers,” Draahs smirked.
“Draahs, please?” Amatsiru pleaded. “I’m going insane here!”
“On one condition,” she said.
“What?” Amatsiru asked guardedly.
“If ya get to go, I get to go with you, just like when we were kids,” Draahs responded.
“Like I could leave you behind if you wanted to go,” the dark-haired girl grinned.
Draahs grinned. “You’ve got that right, but I figured I’d ask first.”
She handed Amatsiru the message and the Blood Elf skimmed it, her bright eyes widening. “Hunters wanted, emissary to the Horde, dangerous work, good pay apply in person…I’ve only got four days to get there!” Amatsiru exclaimed. “If Mother-“
“Amatsiru, the Magistrix has summoned you.”
The voice interrupted their conversation and Amatsiru’s eyes flew to the impassive face of one of the Magistrix’s personal guards. “I am coming,” Amatsiru told him and sighed inwardly. “She’s probably going to forbid me from going.”
Amatsiru spared a brief smile for the guard before taking off for the Assembly Hall. Draahs loped easily along beside her. “Wasn’t that your brother?” she frowned.
“He’s a Blood Knight now,” Amatsiru responded. “He’s still out of favour with Mother for choosing that path against her wishes.”
“Will he ever regain her favour?”
Amatsiru gave her best shrug as they ran. “I cannot say. Mother is rather stingy with it. Perhaps if he became the King’s Bodyguard?” she suggested. “It is all about status. We Bloodrayvns are ranked low on the Council and that is simply unacceptable to Mother. She is trying hard to secure our position and we cannot dispute her.”
They arrived at the Assembly Hall and Draahs fell back and stopped at the gate. “I’ll wait here. I’m not allowed in her presence anymore,” the blond said with a lopsided smile.
“Oh, yeah,” Amatsiru murmured. “I’ll be back.”
She walked through the gates and the guards bowed just slightly to her. She acknowledged them with a grave nod and proceeded forward. As she reached the doors leading inside, one of the female guards moved to intercept her. “Your-creature is to remain outside. Its smell displeases the Magistrix.”
Amatsiru glanced down at Seika apologetically and the great cat silently moved aside and settled on the grown to wait. Amatsiru turned her gaze back to the guard. “May I continue?”
The guard moved grudgingly aside and Amatsiru cast a confused look in her direction before entering the main hall. She entered the dimly lit room and stopped at the edge of the carpet leading to her mother’s dais and waited silently for acknowledgement.
“I hear you were found with distasteful company when you were summoned,” the Magistrix observed. “What have I told you of being around rogues, Amatsiru? Such company doe not befit any Bloodrayvn regardless of past connections.”
“I-“ Amatsiru began.
“It is currently of no matter. Approach.”
Amatsiru forced her legs into motion unable to avoid the thick feeling of dread rising up to choke her. She stopped a few paces from the first step and lifted her eyes to meet the glowing blue of her mother’s.
Magistrix Amaterasu Bloodrayvn was imposing even seated as she was on her chair. The look on her face didn’t’ help matters as it was a cross between irritation and another emotion Amatsiru couldn’t name. When she spoke, Amatsiru barely kept her anxiety in check, hiding behind the same impassiveness her brother had perfected.
“It seems word of your-profession,” Amaterasu almost spat out the word and Amatsiru inwardly flinched, “has spread even to the Sunfury Spire.”
Amatsiru maintained her silence watching her liege warily and idly wondering if she, like her brother before her, was about to be stripped of rank, name, and family privilege. Even before her mother spoke, she began to go over her current inventory of stuff and trying to figure out where to go. She nearly held her breath as the Magistrix continued. “Do you know what I received, Amatsiru?”
“No, your grace, I do not,” she replied respectfully.
“It is a summons-to Silvermoon,” the Magistrix informed her flatly.
“A…summons?” Amatsiru repeated. “I do not understand. I have never been to Silvermoon nor helped anyone from there in years as you commanded.”
“Obviously someone spoke of you, Amatsiru,” the elder Blood Elf scowled. “I have been far too indulgent of you lately.”
Amatsiru stiffened slightly and prepared for the worst.
“However, even I cannot deny a royal summons.”
Amaterasu tapped the white envelope against her glossed lips, her gaze calculating. “Perhaps this will work in our favour. You will participate in this “Great Hunt” of his majesty’s, though I do feel as if this silly game of petitioning for admittance to this “Horde” is beneath us, however, it is our prince’s command. You will go and answer the summons. Come forward.”
Amatsiru carefully ascended the dais and accepted the letter from her mother. She opened it, barely noting the fact the outside of it declared the contents for her only. Pulling the parchment out, she skimmed it and found almost the exact same message as what Draahs had presented, but the print was gold embossed and signed by the Prince himself. “There are only two days before the appointed day,” Amatsiru frowned.
“Then you had best leave immediately, hadn’t you?” the Magistrix said coldly. “Dismissed.”
Amatsiru bowed deeply, her mind racing as to how to get to Silvermoon in less than two days-the journey was almost always at least three even by hawkstrider. She backed away from the Magistrix for the appropriate length before turned her back and heading for the door.
“Amatsiru.”
The Blood Elf Hunter froze in her tracks at her mother’s tone.
“Return with honour or do not return at all.”
“As you command.”
Okay, I am not sure I have all the terminology quite correct, I'm still learning as I move along and I will eventually have to find a complete rundown of the history of Warcraft so I hopefully don't make too many glaring errors. Feel free to correct me as necessary ^_^
Thanks for reading ^_^