Shaurria: Western Plaguelands

Just a quickie, inspired by Shaurria's first trip to the Plaguelands (if you don't count the candy buckets). This was at Uther's Tomb at Sorrow Hill, if you didn't already know.

Shaur is 52 now!! She'll be in Outland herself soon. :D

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Shaurria trotted away from the Argent Dawn officer just in time to see Arvoss ride up on Shade. She yowled and ran up to him. "'Eya, kitten," he grinned, swinging down from the saddle. She rubbed enthusiastically against his leg, pausing as he found her ear and started scratching. "D'ye got yer orders?" he asked her, and she purred at him. "A'righ', lass. Ah'll be close t' ye in case o' trouble, but ye're gonna 'ave t' do th' work," he told her with a mischievous grin. She growled playfully and ran off.

The officer had told her to thin out some of the nearby Scourge, so she set to work, luring them out of their groups one at a time and killing them as quickly as she could. She had worked her way partly across the field when she noticed Arvoss trot Shade past her, toward a large, white stone building. Once her current victim was dead for good, she followed.



She found him standing in front of the building's entrance, staring down the entryway. Shaurria paced up next to him and looked up; his face was pensive. She rrowed at him softly.

"S'a'righ', kitten," he said, then led her up to the monument. He stopped, then knelt on one knee while she came up and read the plaque. Arvoss broke the silence just as she finished. "S'a tomb o' one o' mah Order's finest," he said softly. "Ah think evereh paladin wanted t' be like Uther. 'E was th' first o' th' Silver 'And, th' founder ye could say."

Shaur shifted out of cat and sat next to him, staring at the statue for a few moments. "What happened to him?" she finally asked, though she thought she had an idea. Arvoss scowled. "'E was killed by th' Bloody Prince, Arthas 'imself," he said angrily. "One o' 'is own students." He paused, then shook his head. "Tha's jes' one o' th' crimes 'e's t' pay fer."

Shaurria nodded her understanding. Arvoss stared at the statue for a bit longer, then looked around outside. "Tha's why th' land 'ere is sae sick, kitten. 'E brought 'is bloody Scourge 'ere, an' wiped out most o' th' folk 'ere. Naow th' land suffers fer it."

Shaurria looked outside too, then returned her attention to the statue. After a moment she remembered something. "Didn't your family live here too?" she asked. Arvoss shook his head. "Nae," he told her. "Was further t' th' east, near Strat'olme."

There was another minute of silence, as Arvoss studied the statue without seeing it. "M'wife died before all this 'appened," he continued softly. "M'son...." He trailed off.

Shaurria glanced at him, hesitant to say anything. He rarely spoke about his family or past life, and she was afraid he would stop now. Finally she ventured, "Did he... die too?"

Arvoss sighed heavily. "Ah dinnae ken, kitten. 'E was s'posed t' be transferred t' Stormwind, as part o' 'is trainin'. Ah dinnae ken if 'e got out before th' Scourge 'it. Ah was..." He paused, looking a tad uncomfortable. Shaur just waited. "Ah was a'ready dead, then," he finished.

Shaurria frowned slightly and edged closer. She wrapped one arm around him in a hug. "I bet he got out," she told him, trying to sound confident. Arvoss grinned and hugged her back. "Ah 'ope sae, kitten," he said.

He abruptly stood up and brushed at his armor. "A'righ'," he said, more cheerfully. "Go oan back t' yer skelly-killin'. Ah'll be 'ere if ye need any 'elp." Shaur hopped to her feet and started back outside the tomb. "Kay," she said, then changed to cat and loped toward the nearest group of Scourge. Arvoss looked one more time at the statue behind him, giving it a salute before following the druid out.