Oh the Rogues!
It was good to be a druid, Briara reflected as she sat contentedly under the fountains in the Court of the Sun. Late afternoon sunlight streamed over the rooftops of Silvermoon City and struck rainbows from the falling drops. The annoying Blood Elf hunter she had encountered near the city entrance was peering left and right about fifty feet away, obviously having correctly divined her intent but failing completely to actually find her.
More?
But then again, with every would be hero attempting to prove their mettle by stealing an ember from the capital city festival fires during the fortnight in which the lands celebrated Midsummer, it hadn't been a real leap of intellect. The hunter had been patrolling the city entrance with the obvious intent of scaring off evildoers such as say, night elf druids. Briara had watched the chocobo skittering back and forth for several minutes before sliding through the walled steps. And either she'd mistimed it or the hunter was looking particularly for those whose skills extended to hiding in the shadows, for it was obvious she'd been spotted briefly. The hunter had grown agitated and started making sweeps in the courtyard trying to catch sight of the stealthed quarry. They'd danced a nice dance, but with patrolling automatons that could spot her and a city full of potential enemies who would be happy to send her to meet Elune, the druid knew she'd need to break away. Since the hunter was determined to bar her way to the quickest path leading to the Festival Fires, she turned back and took the long route through the city, and was satisfied to see no hunter following.
But patience was a useful talent, and one any druid worth their mettle had developed. She soaked up the sun and watched a young blood elf paladin attempt to learn to juggle torches and get singed quite a few times. Another young mage was playing in the courtyard with a tiny automaton. The hunter eventually grew bored and left the fires to go seek less cautious prey. Briara enjoyed the startled looks on the younglings faces as she appeared and scooped up one of the embers into a heat-shielded box. She smiled at them as she resumed her panther form and quickly blended into the shadows once more.
"Bri! Can you stay a moment?" her friend Tarla asked. "I'm almost to the city, and if you could be a lookout for a few minutes..."
Briara agreed to this and resumed her station in the middle of the fountains. She could almost trace Tarla's path through the city by listening to the commotion as the Shadowpriest rode her Mistsaber for all she was worth, scattering citizens, vendors, and drawing the attention of all the wrong kinds of people. "The courtyard is clear, see if you can hide once you get here" she suggested. The Mistsaber flashed by, headed for the farthest recess of the courtyard. The effect of the pell-mell ride was amusing - almost like hitting a beehive. The fire plaza was suddenly peopled by a number of high ranking enemies. "Stay Put!" she whispered to the priest. "Am I hidden well?" Tarla asked after a minute. Briara dodged a undead shadowpriest, a shaman, and nearly stumbled over a hidden rogue as she went to see...the mounted shadowpriest was a mere slip of darkness in the farthest niche of the courtyard. Briara dodged into some bushes to lose the rogue and went back to survey the fires.
The beehive settled quickly. The only people in view were once more the two younglings. "I think this is as good as it gets" she told the priest. The Mistsaber burst into motion and barreled out of the corner, vaulting the rogue who had been waiting for a chance to strike but apparently wasn't expecting the target to be mounted. Briara sat down on the stairs and watched the big saber leap over her head. Sure enough, a few seconds later the hidden rogue came sprinting down the steps...and nearly fell headfirst into the lower pond with a comical double take. The rogue, as it turned out, had a partner, but the appearance of a druid when they were focused on something else had thrown them into disarray. Tarla took advantage of the confusion to also snatch a burning coal.
A rather metallic clang announced the start of an Alterac Valley battle. With a laugh, the druid and shadowpriest accepted the Stormpike summoner's invitation and left the two rogues slashing at empty air.
More?
But then again, with every would be hero attempting to prove their mettle by stealing an ember from the capital city festival fires during the fortnight in which the lands celebrated Midsummer, it hadn't been a real leap of intellect. The hunter had been patrolling the city entrance with the obvious intent of scaring off evildoers such as say, night elf druids. Briara had watched the chocobo skittering back and forth for several minutes before sliding through the walled steps. And either she'd mistimed it or the hunter was looking particularly for those whose skills extended to hiding in the shadows, for it was obvious she'd been spotted briefly. The hunter had grown agitated and started making sweeps in the courtyard trying to catch sight of the stealthed quarry. They'd danced a nice dance, but with patrolling automatons that could spot her and a city full of potential enemies who would be happy to send her to meet Elune, the druid knew she'd need to break away. Since the hunter was determined to bar her way to the quickest path leading to the Festival Fires, she turned back and took the long route through the city, and was satisfied to see no hunter following.
But patience was a useful talent, and one any druid worth their mettle had developed. She soaked up the sun and watched a young blood elf paladin attempt to learn to juggle torches and get singed quite a few times. Another young mage was playing in the courtyard with a tiny automaton. The hunter eventually grew bored and left the fires to go seek less cautious prey. Briara enjoyed the startled looks on the younglings faces as she appeared and scooped up one of the embers into a heat-shielded box. She smiled at them as she resumed her panther form and quickly blended into the shadows once more.
"Bri! Can you stay a moment?" her friend Tarla asked. "I'm almost to the city, and if you could be a lookout for a few minutes..."
Briara agreed to this and resumed her station in the middle of the fountains. She could almost trace Tarla's path through the city by listening to the commotion as the Shadowpriest rode her Mistsaber for all she was worth, scattering citizens, vendors, and drawing the attention of all the wrong kinds of people. "The courtyard is clear, see if you can hide once you get here" she suggested. The Mistsaber flashed by, headed for the farthest recess of the courtyard. The effect of the pell-mell ride was amusing - almost like hitting a beehive. The fire plaza was suddenly peopled by a number of high ranking enemies. "Stay Put!" she whispered to the priest. "Am I hidden well?" Tarla asked after a minute. Briara dodged a undead shadowpriest, a shaman, and nearly stumbled over a hidden rogue as she went to see...the mounted shadowpriest was a mere slip of darkness in the farthest niche of the courtyard. Briara dodged into some bushes to lose the rogue and went back to survey the fires.
The beehive settled quickly. The only people in view were once more the two younglings. "I think this is as good as it gets" she told the priest. The Mistsaber burst into motion and barreled out of the corner, vaulting the rogue who had been waiting for a chance to strike but apparently wasn't expecting the target to be mounted. Briara sat down on the stairs and watched the big saber leap over her head. Sure enough, a few seconds later the hidden rogue came sprinting down the steps...and nearly fell headfirst into the lower pond with a comical double take. The rogue, as it turned out, had a partner, but the appearance of a druid when they were focused on something else had thrown them into disarray. Tarla took advantage of the confusion to also snatch a burning coal.
A rather metallic clang announced the start of an Alterac Valley battle. With a laugh, the druid and shadowpriest accepted the Stormpike summoner's invitation and left the two rogues slashing at empty air.