Storming the Citadel

My guild on Gilneas went into ICC tonight to try some bosses. We've been doing rep runs for a couple weeks now, just killing trash, but this time we were looking specifically to kill bosses, just to see how far we'd get. Apparently the first boss, Morrowgar, is the hardest of the lot. We had tried to kill him before with no luck, but tonight we knew what to expect from him, and in short order...


We got him! Thus encouraged by our victory, we went on to the rest of the first wing. Lady Deathwhisper was a bit hectic, but we actually did pretty well with it, and she joined Morrowgar on the floor on our first try.


The gunship battle was a blast. Barraccus was on a cannon the whole fight, except when he had to go beat down on the Horde's mage. And I finally got to see the legendary druid-bear rocket pack...

I felt kinda bad laughing at poor Drac, but OhmygollySILLY!

Deathbringer Saurfang was after that. He gave us a hard time, but we got him closer to defeated on each attempt, until finally he was down as well!


At that point it was late and a few people had to go, so we stopped there. It was a fun run, and the PUG healers that came along all did a great job. Barraccus lost the rolls on Morrowgar's sword and a nice helm, but he got a dps chestplate from Saurfang, so I'm happy.

And now I need some sleep. Later!

Alanon: Hyjal

I've been wanting to write something about Alanon for days now, but couldn't think of any ideas. Then yesterday at work, Inspiration Struck. So here you go, a story from Alanon's past. Enjoy!

(Massive Wall of Text Warning!!)
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Alanon was watching for them to come, but the horn calls still surprised him. He quickly moved through the healers' camp, to the edge where he could see. The Second Unit of the Night Elves' elite scouts rode past at a fast walk, mounts still dancing despite the hard journey. Alanon scanned faces as they went by, finally finding the two he sought. Jaryla kept her face forward, posture ramrod straight, though she did smile briefly at him as she went by. Indria, on the other hand, broke into a huge grin and waved when she saw him. He hid his own grin, waving back quickly before she was reprimanded by the squad's commander. Jaryla rolled her eyes at her daughter, then they were past and out of sight. He returned to the healers' tents.

They found him there shortly before dusk. His only warning was a whoop of delight, then Indria had him wrapped in an exuberant hug. He hugged her back, chuckling, as Jaryla came up. "Alright, Ria. I'm an old man, don't break me." She snorted at him. "You're not that old, Father," she teased back. "Is Quae around here somewhere?" "Yes," he answered. "And Pitch and Jahira are with the local scouts. Kel is.... well, I don't know. Probably wherever Dracoth is." "I'm gonna go find Quae then," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before she ran off. Alanon chuckled again, then turned to his lifelong best friend. "Ryla," he said in greeting. "How have you been?" "Same as usual," she replied. "You're looking good. Are you seeing anyone currently? I can never remember." His face clouded briefly. "No, no one since..." "Yes, her," she said darkly. He grabbed her arm. "Ryla, it's past. Don't start up again, please." She regarded him for a moment. "If that's what you want, Alanon. Hey, if you don't have plans, why don't you stop by for supper?" She looked him up and down, then winked. "And maybe for the night?" He laughed. "I'd be happy to."

* * * * * *

Jaryla's cooking was infinitely preferable to anything to be found in the healers' camp. After supper Indria excused herself, leaving her parents alone. The two Elves sat on a hillside, looking at the bustle all around. "Look at that," Alanon said softly. "Who'd have thought we would be allied with humans, let alone the races of the Horde?" Jaryla snorted. "It's necessary to defeat the Legion. I don't believe it will last one week past the end of this battle, whether we win or lose." He looked at her sharply, but let it drop, saying instead, "It's good to see you again. I've missed both of you." She smiled at him. "We've been busy, otherwise we'd visit more often. Ria misses her father a lot." "You wouldn't know it from the way she keeps running off," he chuckled. "I've seen her for all of an hour total so far." Jaryla grinned at him. "She'll settle down. You'll probably be tired of her by tomorrow's end." "Not likely," he answered softly. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes, then Jaryla took his hand and tugged. "It's getting late, and I'd like some sleep before daybreak," she said. He let her pull him to his feet, then followed her back to her tent.

They were both gone by the time he woke the next morning. Probably receiving their assignments. He dressed quickly, then returned to the healers' camp. Quae met him at his own tent, eyebrow arched and a knowing grin on her face. He ignored her and ducked inside, then looked around the tent. His cot was against one wall, with his travel chest at the foot. The rest of the tent was crowded with rolls of bandages, pots filled with salves or steeping herbs, crates packed with bottles or jars, and the like. Bunches of herbs, both dried and fresh, hung from the ceiling poles, giving the tent an interesting fragrance. Quae had followed him in, and stood looking around as well. "Do you think you have enough supplies here, brother?" she asked. He paid no attention to the sarcasm, and she sighed in frustration. "I have my things ready," she told him. "Elune will give me most of what I need, anyway." He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "And what if someone needs an elixir or ointment you don't have?" She grinned cheekily at him. "Then I'll just send them to you." He rolled his eyes and gave up.

Indria did find him later that morning. She followed him around for a good while, chattering constantly, and he tried to hide his grin at her enthusiasm. Finally Jaryla came to collect her daughter. "We need to go start our patrol, so we're familiar with it before the demons get here. Go get your gear together and your saber saddled." As Indria rushed off, Jaryla stood beside Alanon for a bit, taking in all the healers' preparations. "The demons have been sighted," she told him. "They're no more than two or three days off. Elune send that we won't need all this, though my gut tells me different." Alanon paused to look at her. "Where will you be patrolling?" he asked. "The back side of the mountain," she replied. "East. Not a terribly difficult route, but seems the most likely for a flanking attempt. If the demons think that far ahead." "Don't underestimate them," Alanon warned. "They can be tricky enough. Just look at what they did back in the First War." She shook her head. "I won't, Alanon. It just makes it... easier." She watched him for awhile as he packed up boxes of bandages, ready to be taken out to the field. "We should just make it back by dark," she finally said. "Want to swing by for supper again?" He nodded without stopping his work, and she left him, heading to her duty.

The following two days passed in a blur of activity, as all aspects of the army prepared for the coming demons. By the end of the second day, Alanon had run out of things to do. Pitch stopped by at sundown, the younger druid having grown bored sitting about the camp, and Alanon started a wrestling match with him just for something to do. The other healers stopped and watched the two cats, one jet-black, the other a dark smoky gray, as they tumbled around the tents. Their play was interrupted by horn calls, and the entire camp seemed to go on alert, staring as a whole at the hill where the call originated. "Demons in view!" called the sentry. "The Legion's coming!" The camp burst into motion all at once. The two druids looked at each other, then both went to their respective posts.

Alanon hardly slept that night. He kept getting up to make sure all was ready: splints and bandages, potions and elixirs, the dried herbs ready to be made into teas. And the potions of dreamfoil, for when nothing else could be done. He tried not to look at them any more than necessary. At last he fell into an uneasy sleep, filled with dreams he couldn't remember.

* * * * * *

The demons attacked just before dawn. The sounds woke Alanon, and he tumbled from his cot in a rush, dressing as quickly as he could and heading outside. The first wounded arrived shortly after, and he set to work with the others. He tried to use his healing spells as little as possible to save his energy, knowing it would be a long day. The most lightly wounded, however, he did heal with magic, so they could get back into the fray quickly. The day stretched on forever, and he wound up working far into the night, until at last he collapsed into his cot. He briefly wondered how his siblings were faring before he fell into exhausted sleep.

The next day was a repeat of the first, at least until Jaryla found him. He finished with the soldier he was treating, then turned and gave her a long hug before pulling back and looking at her. She looked as exhausted as he felt, her armor dusty and dinged in places. "How are things going out there?" he asked her quietly. "We're holding them, but barely," she replied. "Alanon... it's not just demons. They have undead, Scourge, in their ranks as well. And their cursed necromancers are raising our own dead against us, Elune blast them." She sighed and shook her head. "All we have to do is hold them back until Malfurion does whatever he's supposed to do, but I'm starting to wonder how long we'll last." He frowned worriedly. "Have you seen the others anywhere?" "I saw Kel at one point, sniping away with her pet bear." "Bear?... Oh, Dracoth. Any of the rest?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Alanon, but I'm sure they're okay," she said comfortingly. "I need to get back now, Indria and the others need me." He nodded, then with a final hug he let her go, watching her move off through the bustle. Soon he was distracted by another wave of wounded arriving, and he set back to work.

Pitch came in later that afternoon, to get a large cut on his arm looked at. As Alanon mended the bloody gash, then wrapped a bandage around it for protection, the younger druid told him what he knew. "They're pressing us from all sides. I don't think we can hold them much longer, but we can fall back if we have to- regroup on the slopes. Jahira's been with me, she's fine, and I've seen Kel a few times." Alanon nodded as he finished with his brother's arm. "Be careful, little brother. We don't know what they are planning." Pitch nodded absently, then headed back to the front.

The demons did break through soon after that, and the allied armies fell back to their second point of defense. More wounded came pouring in, a few of them requiring Alanon's dreamfoil potions. He tried to distance himself as he gave the potions, watching them fall into a sleep they would never wake from. But often he would imagine the soldier was someone he knew.

The third day was even bloodier than the previous two. The Legion pushed through again, and the Alliance and Horde armies fell back to the third point. Now they were almost at Nordrassil's base. Alanon could hear the fighting, could see it if he went to the edge of the camp, but he tried to push it from his mind. Then the runner came.

"They attacked from the east side, behind us," he told the others gathered around him quickly. "Big group. We're holding them off best we can, but Light send Malfurion is ready soon." With that the human clapped his helmet back on and continued on to the general's camps. Alanon stared after him, then looked toward the far eastern mountain slopes. Jaryla, Indria, how are you faring? he wondered. But duty soon called again, and he was left with no time for worry.

Another runner came in the early afternoon, and called them together. "We need volunteers to go to the front lines," he said. "Our numbers are growing too thin. If we don't hold them off here, we'll have no need for healers anyway." Alanon looked around as people started shuffling forward. He spotted Quae near the back, and she caught his eye, then slowly nodded. He nodded back, then stepped forward himself.

* * * * * *

The battle was hectic. Demons of all types, with Scourge filling in the gaps, were pressing forward relentlessly. Alanon, in his bear form, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the others, supporting and holding the line. He shifted out and cast his healing spells whenever he could, to aid the others as much as possible. Soon he was joined by a smaller white bear and a black panther. He spared a brief nod to his brother and sister, then focused back on the fray.

The horn sounded just before sundown. The battle paused, and Alanon watched with the rest as Hyjal's wisps all descended on Archimonde, then detonated. The explosion shook the entire mountain. Then, at last, it was over. He looked to Pitch and Jahira, then the three druids started moving among the nearby fallen, to give what aid they could. Jahira and Alanon cast their healing spells, while Pitch helped to move some of the bodies. They worked until it was too dark to see, then gave it over to the healer squads that began moving through with torches.

The druids all returned to Alanon's tent. Kel and Dracoth stopped by to check on them, and Alanon was relieved to see his older sister and his friend were okay. They sat around a small campfire, talking together wearily. "Alanon," Quae asked him, "have you heard from Jaryla or Indria yet?" "No," he said softly, worry creasing his forehead. His younger sister reached over and took his hand. "They're tough," she said comfortingly. "I'm sure they made it all right." But doubt showed on her face, mirrored on his own.

A runner came the next morning. Alanon's siblings had stayed to help the healers; even Kel wrapped bandages with them. Alanon paused what he was doing and called the Night Elf over. "Have you heard anything from the Second Unit scouts?" The Elf looked at him carefully. "The attack from the eastern side," he finally answered, "almost overwhelmed us. We're not completely sure yet, but it doesn't look good." After the man left, Alanon went out to the edge of the camp and just stood, staring out toward the eastern slopes. Quae came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't give up hope yet. Maybe they'll turn up tomorrow," she told him. Alanon replied softly, "Ryla never did like it when I worried. She knew I wouldn't rest until I knew they were safe." Quae couldn't think of an answer to that. She just stood by him, offering what comfort she could. At last Alanon turned back to the camp and returned to his work.

It was confirmed the following day. Groups had been dispatched to clean up any remaining enemies and look for survivors. The group sent to the eastern side came upon where the Second Unit had made their stand. It looked like they had given an excellent account for themselves, but the demons had proved too much. There were no survivors.

When Alanon heard the news, he left the camp, walking toward Nordrassil. He stopped at the base of the great Tree and stood there, shoulders shaking. Jahira, Quae and Pitch found him there. Jahira and Quae looked at each other helplessly, but Pitch went to his brother and sat next to him, sticking his nose into Alanon's hand. After a moment, the hand moved to his back, gripping the longer fur there tightly as the druid-cat whined softly.

* * * * * *

Quae found Alanon the next morning at daybreak, sitting on a fallen log. The morning was quiet, most of the army having left long before. Only the wounded were left, and they were setting out too, as soon as they were well enough to travel. Quae sat down next to her brother, glancing up at him. He stared straight ahead, not moving, but she knew he was aware of her. His face still looked haggard, though his eyes were clear. She cleared her throat.

"Alanon, are you alright?" He didn't answer at first. She waited patiently. Finally he broke the silence. "I still see them, when I close my eyes. It's hard to believe that they're gone," he said softly, his voice just above a whisper. Quae took his hand. "We all miss them, Alanon. But it'll be okay." "I know," he replied. "It's just... I've known her forever, you know. We grew up together. I never thought that she would be gone." He cleared his own throat roughly. "And Indria, oh gods. Her life was still just beginning." He stopped, swallowing hard.

Quae squeezed his hand gently, then sat quietly, looking around. The damage from the battle was apparent even here, but several groups were staying behind, to clear up and see what help they could give the World Tree. After several minutes she spoke again. "I'm coming home with you guys," she said. "To Ashenvale." He eyed her. "I can't imagine our parents would agree to that, to say nothing of the Temple." "Oh, they didn't like it. But I'm old enough to start making my own decisions. As to the Temple, well, they don't control me whatever they might think. It's not like I'm moving too far away to continue my training; if anything, you all are closer." Alanon grunted.

They sat together until the sun was well up, then returned to his tent. Kel and Dracoth were saying their goodbyes as they arrived, and after they left the others began packing up. Alanon left most of his herbal supplies for the healers staying behind; he could always replace them. Soon enough they were ready to go, and the druids and priestess all headed toward home.
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I'm working on another for Alanon, and have a Shaurria story almost finished. Love it when my writer's block goes away. Til next time, Happy Hunting!

Quae: To Outland

Quae hit level 58 at last! Got tired of running dungeons so she just did quests, with her personal bodyguard doing most of the work. >.>

Duoing is fun.

And Pitch is up to 70! I been busy, despite my cold.

I said before that I had a story ready to go for when she hit Outlands, so here it is. Enjoy!
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The Temple of the Moon, located in the night elf capital Darnassus, was where Elune's priestesses- and now occasionally priests- were trained. Some elves considered it to be the most important- and beautiful- building there. Inside the priestesses held sway, guiding their people according to Elune's wishes. Acolytes of all ages and skill levels went here and there, carrying out the orders of their elders. Like good little sheep, Quae thought cynically, going where they are led and doing whatever they're told.

Gazing at the huge Temple now, she wondered how many of them saw it for what it really was- a prison, where you either conformed to popular belief or were cast out. Or sometimes... Quae dismissed that thought without completing it. She followed her escort up the ramp, the pair of Sentinels silent. Neither of them had said a word after the perfunctory "Come with us, please" when they found her, almost the moment she had stepped through the portal. Like they had been waiting for her. The thought gave her shivers.

Once inside she was brought before a handful of senior priestesses, ones she knew by face if not by name. The eldest motioned her to sit on a bench, then they all gathered around in front of her. "Junior Priestess Quae Stormbough," intoned the youngest of the group, placing the slightest emphasis on her rank. "You have been brought before this council because we received word that you have been consorting with a former member of the Scourge, an undead known as Barraccus." Quae blinked in surprise. Before she could do more than that, the priestess went on. "This behavior apparently has been going on for some time, and is unbecoming to a priestess of Elune as well as against our laws. You are here to receive judgment."

"Wait a moment," protested Quae. "That 'undead' is a night elf and a knight of the Ebon Blade. He hasn't been a member of the Scourge for almost a year, and has proven his allegiance to the Alliance many times over." "That is beside the point," interrupted another priestess. "It is against our principles, as you should well know. We won't stand for it." All of them stared at Quae hard.

This was bad, oh yes. Quae briefly wondered if one of these priestesses had seen her with Barraccus or if someone had ratted her out, then realized that it didn't matter. She swallowed hard as it hit her that they could have her quietly "disposed of" if they decided it was called for. Or... they could simply remake her, by invading her mind and removing or changing her memories. It had been done before, although not to anyone Quae had known personally. There was that junior priestess that assisted the librarian, though, who walked around every day with a vacant smile on her face; if you talked to her she seemed normal enough, but her responses were almost automatic, like a gnomish robot. She shivered inside again.

Some of her fear must have showed in her expression, because a few of the priestess' faces softened. Slightly. That actually made her worry more, rather than less. Finally the head priestess told her, "Look, girl, we've all been young before, and know how it feels. Perhaps he just came on to you, and you didn't know how to say no." She paused, giving Quae a chance to agree, to place all the blame on Barraccus, and maybe worm her way back into their good graces.

And maybe a pink elekk would fly up and tell her she was really the long-lost princess of Stormwind. Barraccus didn't deserve any of this, any more than she did. Her anger flared up, temporarily consuming her fear, and she stood. "I can't lie to you, priestesses," she stated, and a couple of them began smiling in triumph. Those smiles quickly turned to surprise, however, as she continued. "He did nothing of the sort. Truthfully, I wanted it at least as much as he did. You could probably say we seduced each other."

The other priestesses stood looking at her in shock. The eldest was the first to recover. Quae felt her bravado fade as a slow, not-at-all-pleasant smile spread across her face. "You just sealed it, girl," she hissed. "Did you think we were going to stand it much longer anyway? First you ran away when we refused, and rightly so, to teach you shadow magic. Then you returned and claimed that Elune herself said you were to be taught. I still don't know what witchery you did to make the High Priestess agree. Then you leave your poor parents to live with your filthy druid siblings, making everyone sick with worry for you. Now you think you can flaunt your... relationship... with a cursed undead, and we won't do anything about it? The High Priestess may have you under her wing, but she can't stop what she doesn't know about." With a satisfied smirk on her face, she snapped her fingers at the two Sentinels and motioned at Quae. "Take her to a penitentiary cell," she ordered. "We'll be back for her tonight. Make sure no one even knows she's there." With that, she and the other priestesses turned and walked away.

For a moment, Quae was frozen with fear. Then, as the guards came up and reached for her arms, she snapped back to herself and made to get away. One of the guards grabbed her, and Quae saw shadows start to flicker around the edges of her vision. The shadows nearby moved toward her and began slithering up her body and down her arms. The guard that had grabbed her let go in surprise and swore, "Elune-cursed priests!" Before Quae could do anything with her new-found freedom, the other guard stepped up with her sword drawn, and struck Quae across the temple with the hilt. The shadows fled as she fell down into darkness.

* * * * * *

Quae awoke in a dark, cramped cell. Raising her aching head carefully, she took in her surroundings. She was laying on a small cot, and there was a tiny desk and chair next to the bed. Across the room was the door, which was closed and, she was certain, locked and guarded. Everything else had been removed- the lamp and any books and writing materials were all gone. For a moment, fear and outrage battled for supremacy inside her, and she fought down the urge to go to the door and start screaming. Right now she wasn't sure if she would be screaming threats at those who held her prisoner, or begging to be allowed another chance. Finally her nerves settled down, and she began weighing her options. First, she supposed, she had better make certain the door was guarded.

Pitch had taken a great deal of pleasure in teaching her outdoor survival skills when they were both much younger. She put them to use now, as she crept silently to the door and listened. There was definitely a guard on the other side, but it sounded like only one. The other was probably either resting or posted further down the hall, where she couldn't hear. She sat back on the cot with a sigh, not even bothering to try the door handle.

Quae found herself thinking about the others, her friends and loved ones. Especially Barraccus. Would she ever see him again? Would she even recognize him if she did? Should she have said what she did, or should she have played along with them? She made herself stop right there; it was too late to change anything now. She honestly wasn't worried that they would kill her. She was pretty powerful in her own right, and they would want to keep her around; they would just make her more... malleable. She shuddered again.

Her thoughts wandered back to Barraccus. He was due to be home tonight, and would be wondering where she had gone. Her heart ached as she thought of how worried he'd be. She thought back over the last few months and asked herself, had it been worth it? She could see his face in her mind, as clear as if he was standing in front of her, and the look in his eyes each time he saw her, the way it felt when he held her... Yes, she thought. It had been worth it, a thousand times over.

She leaned back on the cot and lost herself in her memories, not caring when the tears started. She sat and remembered until at last the strain overcame her, and she dozed off and dreamed she was back at home.

* * * * * *

Quae sat bolt upright. She didn't know what had woken her, but she was suddenly afraid the priestesses had come back. Heart in her throat, she waited, staring at the door.

There was a soft scraping sound, as if something heavy was being dragged away from the door, then a faint clink she realized came from the keys. The door creaked open slowly, and her visitor stepped into view.

It was Alanon.

Quae just stared disbelievingly for several seconds, then with a choked-off cry she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her brother. He held her for a moment, shushing her softly as she sobbed in relief, then gently pulled back. "Quae, we have to hurry. I don't know when they're coming back for you," he said, his voice low. "Yes, I know," she replied, quickly pulling herself back together. She wiped her face on her sleeve, then took a deep breath. "How did you know where I was?" she asked, as they stepped past the unconscious guard outside the door. Alanon grinned. "Arien. She happened to be in Darnassus and spotted you with those guards. She noticed you didn't look happy, so she followed you to the Temple, then called me over the buzzbox." "Do me a favor, big brother, and kiss her next time you see her," Quae said feelingly, and he chuckled. She never would have thought she'd be so happy to hear that sound.

She was all nerves as they made their way out of the Temple through the back passageways. Alanon led the way, stopping often to listen for sounds of pursuit, but it seemed her rescue hadn't been discovered yet. They finally made it outside, where Alanon allowed only a short pause before hurrying her away from the Temple and toward the portal to Rut'theran. He didn't risk the flight master, taking her to the boat instead. During the trip he gave her a short description of how he had sneaked into the Temple, staying in cat form to better follow her scent when he found it, then waiting til all was quiet before incapacitating the guards and unlocking her door. The boat ride was a short one, and he cut the story short as they docked at Auberdine. Before going out on deck he stopped Quae and handed her a cloak. "Should have had this sooner, but I wasn't exactly prepared to smuggle you out from under the priestesses' noses." Quae chuckled at his attempt at humor, a trace of hysteria audible just under the surface. He looked at her sharply. "Almost safe now, Quae," he reassured her. "Don't fall apart just yet."

He helped her off the boat and they hurried down the dock. Quae kept the cloak's hood pulled low over her face, leaving just enough uncovered to see where she was going. Alanon led her out into the Darkshore forest, and finally he stopped and let out a low whistle. Nearby the brush stirred, then came a voice Quae had feared she might never hear again. "Alanon? Did you get her?" Barraccus asked anxiously. "Yes, she's here," the druid replied as the death knight stepped out of the trees he was hiding in. His eyes met Quae's as she pushed the hood back. A second later she was in his arms, trying to hold back a sob as she wrapped her arms around his chest. "Oh Quae, Quae, I thought I lost you," he said softly as he held her tightly. "Are you alright, love?" She looked up at his face; he seemed to be fighting back tears as well. "Now I am," she replied.

Alanon soon had a small fire going. Quae sat next to Barraccus, leaning against him for reassurance. The stress of the last few hours and the resulting weariness were starting to make everything seem surreal to her. She wasn't even surprised when Pitch and Jahira came up, with Jahira bringing Riptik with her. Pitch had apparently been scouting, and he spoke with Alanon in whispers as Quae picked Rip up and held him close. The tiny wolvar seemed to understand that something serious had happened and didn't squirm like he usually did, instead sitting quietly in her lap and patting his "mother" on the arm. After a few minutes the two druids came over.

"Pitch says all is clear," Alanon told them. "Now we need to decide what to do next. Going home I think is out of the question; they probably already have guards sent there to bring you back." "What about Winterspring?" Barraccus asked. Alanon shook his head. "Quae's name may not be on the papers, but they know now that you two are together, and I'm sure that will be the next place they look." Barraccus frowned in frustration, his face dark. Alanon continued. "I don't think the Moonglade would be a good idea either. It's not a big place, and the druids won't stop the priestesses from doing anything there, so long as it doesn't disturb the Glade."

Quae looked at all of them, sitting around her trying to make sure of her safety, and felt a rush of warmth. "Well," she said finally. "I can think of a possible place. It's big enough to hide in for a long time, and the priestesses don't have any sway there." Alanon quirked an eyebrow at her, then suddenly grinned in approval as he caught on. The others looked at her in confusion, waiting for her to explain. She looked each one in the face, then allowed herself a small smile. "Outland, of course." Pitch started grinning widely, as the others all glanced at each other in relief. "All right, sounds perfect," said Barraccus. "But I'm coming with you, at least for the first few weeks." She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "She'll be all right, brother," Pitch broke in. "I can watch over her too."

Alanon looked at them all, seeing agreement in all faces. "It's settled then. At first light we start for the Dark Portal."

* * * * * *

They reached the Portal before noon the next day, and gathered together in front of it. Quae looked at Alanon and Jahira, standing back a bit from the others, then stepped over and hugged them both. "Thank you for coming after me," she said quietly. "You know we would have," Alanon replied. "That's what families do, they watch out for each other." She smiled at him, then stepped back to Barraccus' side. The death knight shifted Rip in his arms so he could take her hand. "Ready?" She nodded, then glanced back to her brother and sister again and waved. They waved back as, with Barraccus beside her and Pitch trailing behind, she stepped through the Portal into Outland.

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Probably going to cheat a bit & have Barraccus run her through the Outland dungeons for a bit before she starts questing. The hard part will be dividing my time between her and Pitch. I'm hoping to get them both to 80 in a couple months, giving myself time off to avoid burnout.

And now I need to crash. Goodnight and Happy Hunting!

First Week With New Computer (And A Few Thoughts)

And I'm loving it! The graphics are amazing, lag is almost gone, and what lag I do have I now know is from the internet or the game, and not caused by my computer. Still waiting for the connector thingy so I can run both monitors, and then I'll be cruising.

Pitchblàck is up to level 65, almost 66, and is still in Zangarmarsh. He's about finished there and will be hitting Nagrand soon to get his last few levels. One thing that I think has really sped up his leveling is the ability to fly as soon as he hit 60, it makes it so much easier to get from one spot to the next. And he'll have his cold weather flying book waiting for him at 68, so Northrend shouldn't take long either.

Quae is also getting up there, she's 52 now. I'm debating doing quests up to 58, or just running her through dungeons. She got from 48 to 52 just from Sunken Temple (LOVING the heirloom shoulders) and I'm thinking of taking her thru Blackrock Depths next. After that, who knows? I haven't run any of the vanilla dungeons in ages, and it could be fun taking her thru all of them. I'm also starting to feel in a hurry to get her into Outland, I've even got a story all ready to go when she does. I think I'd like to have all my Alliance up to 80 before the next expansion hits (sorry Taurros!).

The main reason that I'm thinking of leveling her thru dungeons, is that I transferred Barraccus to my second account, so I've been using him to take her thru. He's also been helping Pitch with a few group quests, and will probly run him thru Coilfang Reservoir as well. He's finally got the money for his dual-spec, though I haven't bought it yet because I'm still putting together his tank set. I'm still running heroics like crazy whenever I can, but his emblems are going toward dps gear. Once I'm happy with that set, I'll start getting emblem tank gear.

Alanon is still coming along as well. I'm really liking feral at 80, but I'll probly switch him back to boomkin when Pitch reaches 80 himself; I don't really need 2 level 80 feral druids (although it could be fun...). My guild is running Ulduar weekly, so he's getting emblems and gear even though most of my non-raiding work has been with Barraccus. I'm thinking of picking up some feral gear with the badges, since he's been pretty lucky on loot drops.



I've been completely neglecting Kaledain & Khaotic since my laptop broke down, which I hate, but I really want to get them transferred soon, and I'm still trying to decide on a new "home" for them. I started thinking Feathermoon, but my sister & I started new alts on Wyrmrest Accord, and while I haven't done much there yet, she has and told me that so far she likes it. So they might wind up going there. I'm still open to suggestions, though.

Shaurria is coming along nicely, both leveling- and RP-wise. Last Tuesday night's RP was awesome, and inspired me to start working on the follow-up to her first story. It's coming slowly but I'll try to have it finished soon. She's been much happier at the Pig because Arvoss has come on the last few nights. I figured it's past time to get his own RP going, so he'll be trying to make as many nights as he can. I do want to get him to Outland soon, but I'm thinking of holding off til my sister gets her hunter Tadrith up, then they can go together.



My poor Horde toons have all been ignored, more or less, for weeks. I intended to get Taurros the druid to 80 after Barraccus, and he does have more of a head start than Pitch (Taurros is 73), but every time I log on Durotan, I get bored or frustrated after a few minutes and end up back on Alliance. I said before, I love my guild, but I'm just not happy with the server anymore. I've thought about transferring the ones that I want to play to another server, but I'm not sure where. Maybe a faction change would help...

Basically I'm making a list, and it's going something like this- I'm keeping Boogga, Taurros, Taurron, Rajast, and Zuuluu. Drenka, Toorambar, and Furrealz are all still low enough that I wouldn't feel too bad about simply remaking them on another server. Kaled and Khaotic are already going to be transferred, so I'm not worried about them. As for Heylookimded...

I just have a real problem with leveling clothies. I'm kind of an in-your-face player, hence all the druids and deathknights. Heck, that's probably why I love tanking so much. Hunters are different, but having a pet is enough to make them a favorite class. I've tried leveling mages, priests, and warlocks before, and the highest I've gotten was a lvl 37 mage (deleted ages ago) and Ded, who is around 35. I honestly think the only reasons I've been able to stick with Quae are- my guild is just awesome, and she has a great, detailed RP thing going on. (And maybe because shadowpriests are overpowered. >.>) So getting back to Ded... he may wind up getting deleted also.

(Little bit off-topic, but I also have major problems leveling paladins. I've tried multiple times, and the highest I've gotten is 21 before deleting them.)

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Sorry about the long rambly post, but it's been bugging me for awhile. If you have any thoughts/suggestions, feel free to leave a comment! ^_^

Til next time, Happy Hunting!

In Which Alanon And Quae Have A Talk

Quae stared at the goblin in disbelief. "I only need you to keep her for a few hours. You're charging enough for a month's care. How do you figure that out?" she demanded. Nearby, her recently-acquired frostsaber lay quietly in the Tanaris heat, looking around lazily and yawning every now and then.

The gobbo stable master stared back at Quae insolently. "That's our price, lady," he said. "Ya got a problem with it, take it up with the big boss." "Okay, where can I find him?" she asked. He smirked. "Undermine." Quae stared again, then said a few words that would probably have shocked any of her siblings if they had heard.

They were interrupted by the postman, another goblin, who tugged on Quae's sleeve and presented her with a letter. "Yer mail, lady," he muttered, then shuffled off. Quae watched him go- did the gobbos run the whole place?- then looked to her letter. It was from Alanon.

Quae,

I would like to talk with you at your earliest convenience. I'll be at home.

Alanon

She blinked, then read it again. What did he want to talk about? And why did he sound so... formal? That usually meant he was troubled by something. Quickly she ran through a mental list of everything she had done in the last couple weeks. She certainly hadn't done anything. Neither had Barraccus as far as she knew. Her curiosity piqued, she turned around quickly- and almost crashed into the darned stable master, who had been trying to read over her shoulder. She looked at him coolly. "You're in luck," she told him. "I'll need to take her with me after all." She walked over to Moon, who quickly stood at her approach, and swung up into the saddle, then touched her heels to the frostsaber's flanks and headed toward home.

* * * * * *

Alanon paced restlessly in the house. He still wasn't sure about writing to Quae, but he didn't know their cousins well at all, and she did. He just hoped she wouldn't give him too hard of a time about this. He almost jumped when he heard her ride into the yard, then made himself stand still as he waited for her to come in.

She looked rather irritated and disheveled when she walked in. Uh oh, he thought. Trouble with the goblins again, I bet. She plunked herself down in a chair and began muttering. "Stupid greedy greenskins. I bet if they could package the world and sell it off, they would auction it to the highest bidder with no qualms." Yep, goblins. She shook her head, then looked at him. "Hey big brother," she said in greeting. "I'm here, what did you want to talk about?" Suddenly he was at a loss for words. "Umm," he stammered. "I was, ah, wondering, um, if you could, maybe, ah..." Quae looked at him in amazement, one eyebrow slowly raising. He stopped himself and took a deep breath. "You know our Stormwind cousins better than I do," he stated. "Would you, maybe, mind talking to Kal for me?" He waited to see how she responded.

She stared at him, and slowly a knowing grin spread across her face. "Are you being serious? You're actually interested in someone?" She chuckled, then abruptly stood and went to the door, looking out at the sky. "Quae," he said flatly. "What are you doing?" "Checking for flying pink elekks," she replied. "Or, you know, the trees turning upside-down or something." She came back in with a huge grin, and sat back down in her chair. He gave her a sour look. "I'd like you to be a little more serious, Quae," he said, but she paid him no attention. "So who's the lucky girl?" she asked him, then suddenly looked at him. "It is a girl right? You're not going to try marrying a bear or something like Pitch did, are you?" He frowned. "Pitch did not-" Stopping himself again, he took another deep breath. She just waited, looking at him expectantly. Finally, his face expressionless, he simply said, "Arien."

Quae blinked at that. "Kal's friend?" she said. "Wow, that is a surprise." He glared at her, but she was ignoring him again. "So what did you want me to do?" Alanon rubbed his face with both hands, then sat down on another chair nearby. "I hardly know her," he said. "I mean, we've talked, but nothing really about each other. Mostly just about whatever we were doing at the time. So, would you just talk to Kal a bit for me? I'd like to know more about her." Quae blinked at him again. "And why can't you just talk to her yourself?" "I..., I just can't," he said. "Not yet, at least." "Well, the first thing you should know," she told him, "is that Kal and Arien are best friends. They don't have any secrets from each other. Which means if I talk to Kal, Arien will hear about it." Alanon looked a little sheepish. "Well, that would be an easy way to let her know I'm interested," he said quietly, then shook his head. "But that's a coward's way out. I couldn't do that to her." He groaned, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

Quae watched him, finally growing serious. "Alanon, why can't you just talk to Arien yourself? She's not hard to talk to, you just said you already have, sort of." "I...," he trailed off, and she studied him, understanding dawning in her eyes. "It's because of last time, isn't it?" she asked softly. He just looked at her. "Listen, big brother," Quae said seriously. "Arien isn't going to run away just because you asked her, oh, where she grew up or something like that. She's a bit tougher than that." "I, I think I know that," he said quietly. "So what is wrong, big brother?" she pressed. Alanon opened his mouth and closed it again. Finally, "What if she doesn't want to be with an elf? Or a druid?" The words sounded forced, and she could see he was having a hard time with them. She reached over and patted his knee. "Why would that be a problem, eh?" "Quae, look at me," he said. "I'm almost eight thousand years old, but do I look it? Even after Nordrassil fell, we haven't aged much at all. Will she want to be with someone that will outlast her that much? And what if I get called back to the Dream again? What if I get stuck there, like Malfurion? Even if that doesn't happen, I'll still be gone for who knows how long. What if she can't accept that?"

Quae looked at him for a minute. "That's what happened last time, isn't it? That's why she left you." He stared at her, and she could see the pain he still felt in his eyes. She gently squeezed his knee again. "Okay, I think I know what your problem is," she said. "Think about this a second, Alanon. How is this different than worrying about getting killed in battle or something?" He was silent for a minute, staring at his hands in his lap, then he looked up. "I didn't really think about it that way," he said sheepishly. "Obviously," Quae said dryly. "So, is that any different?" "I suppose not, not really," he said slowly. "Although I'm still going to have to explain things to her. I don't want any more... misunderstandings." Quae grinned and patted his knee again, then leaned over and hugged him. "There you go then. Now all you have to do is talk to her." Alanon glanced up at her. "Quae, thank you," he said softly. "Don't mention it," she replied. "It's not often I get to give my big brother advice. I need to treasure the moment." She grinned impishly at him as he snorted.

At that moment his buzzbox crackled, and Arien's voice came over the frequency. "Hello? Um, Alanon, you there?" Quae gave him a look that practically pushed him over to the box. He picked it up and looked at her nervously, then pressed the button. "Arien, hello. I'm here." "Oh hey," she said quickly. "These druids here in Zangarmarsh need me to help some lost friends, would you be able to come watch my back?" He couldn't quite keep a smile off his face as he replied, "Sure, I'll head right over."

Alanon: Endings and Beginnings

The dark, smoke-colored cat reclined on a branch high overhead, looking over the little Oracle village below. Alanon had returned to his feral side a few weeks ago, and was still adjusting a bit. But as a Druid of the Wild, he had to keep all his skills sharp, so he had turned away from spell-casting except for occasional healing when he and his companions ventured into Ulduar. He was comfortable with his feral skills again, although he knew he was not at his full strength yet. That would come with time.

He kept an eye on the Gorloc tribe he had befriended, but his thoughts were wandering far off to each of his family members. Rhokk was in Northrend now. They all still worried about him a bit, but whatever hold the Lich King had had over him seemed to be gone. He still had nightmares from time to time, but he didn't let them stop him from heading North.

"We've done what we can here," Alanon had told him when the shaman was leaving. "Now I believe the rest of your recovery is up to you. Just keep in mind what Crison told you, and you should be fine."

Rhokk wrote him regularly, keeping them all up-to-date on his progress, and seemed to be doing well.

Quae was still running between Feralas and Tanaris most of the time. She had confessed that she didn't like the goblins much, but they paid well. She and Barraccus were doing very well, spending almost every weekend together, either at home or off wherever their whims took them. Barraccus had recently spoken of a little house he had found for rent in Winterspring. Alanon had a feeling that the house in Ashenvale would be a bit emptier soon.

The death knight was now in Icecrown. Quae was worried about him, no one could miss seeing that, but she seemed to have more confidence in his ability to keep himself safe. Barraccus had managed to avoid most of the Alliance-Horde conflict, staying close to his Ebon Blade comrades and working with them in their own efforts against Arthas. Alanon had seen him several times at the Argent Crusade's tournament as well, where he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Pitch had suddenly gotten a sense of responsibility, and was now helping out in Outland and making his own plans for Northrend. He had somehow gotten a gnomish device which he called a "camera," and had sent Alanon several pictures. One was of Pitch himself, in the shape of a bird; he was incredibly excited about his new flight form. Most of the other pictures he had sent were taken from high above the ground. He had recently gone into the fel orc's Hellfire Citadel with a few others, one of which had been Arien, a human paladin that lived with their cousins Kal and Riatha.

Thinking of Arien now sent a little shivery feeling through Alanon. He had met her some time ago, when Kal had asked him if he could help her out in the sunken Temple of Atal'Hakkar. That had been right after he had gone feral, so he thought that it would be good practice, to refresh his skills a bit. Arien had been a bit reserved at first, but had quickly warmed as they went through the temple, killing the trolls her paladin instructors had told her to. She also proved very capable, as she had been surprised a couple times by wandering patrols when Alanon had been occupied, and had to dispatch them herself. After the first time, he had stopped worrying about her.

She had also proven to be quite pleasant to be around, and by the time they were done he found himself thinking about her quite a bit. When she had contacted him several days later, saying that she had to return to the Temple, he had quickly agreed to help again. This time they had to stop the troll god Hakkar from attempting to return to Azeroth, where he would undoubtedly take as much of the world as he could under his bloody rule. It had proven to be easier than either of them had thought; Alanon speculated that the vicious god's repeated attempts to return were actually weakening him.

Arien had returned to Outland immediately after, and Alanon had escorted her down to the Dark Portal, talking with her the whole way. After she had gone through, he stood and stared at the Portal for a long time. It had been a very long time since he had felt this way. He had been betrothed to a human once, little over a century ago, but she had broken it off after realizing what it would mean to be married to an immortal, and a druid to boot. It had taken him a long time to get over it, and afterward he had been happy to live a solitary life, excepting his siblings. He never spoke about it to anyone, although he knew that Kelesaria had told Pitch and Quae about it. They all respected his wishes and never spoke of it either.

A commotion at the edge of the village distracted him from his musings. He watched idly as a small band of Frenzyheart wolvar attacked, like they did several times a day every day, and were repulsed. He looked over the Oracle warriors, judging if any of them could use some healing, but they all seemed fine. So he returned to examining his feelings.

He liked Arien, that was safe to say. She was warm, bright, and fearless when faced with a battle, not to mention fun to be around. But he would not call it love, not yet. It was too soon, and he had no idea what she felt. Plus his long life had taught him that caution was usually a good thing. He would watch and wait for now; Arien was young still and wasn't going anywhere. He could wait.

The cat stood and stretched, ignoring the long fall if he happened to slip, then suddenly changed to a large, purplish bird. Alanon flapped his wings a few times, then took off, heading east toward Icecrown.

Ulduar: First impressions

So, Friday night's Ulduar raid... It was actually pretty fun. The first boss is a blast. We wiped on him first try because we pulled him early by accident, and still had one tower up. But we went right back, beat down the tower, then downed the boss no problems. Most people I've seen say that he's really easy, and I'd have to agree, but still fun.



The rest of the night was just wiping. We wiped on the trash leading to Ignis so many times that I lost count. It was definitely a learning experience. Once we finally had the trash cleared, we made several attempts on Ignis, but the most we got him down was about 800k. :P



We tried XT-002 after we gave up on Ignis, but he rolled us just as much. But oh, man, his voice! Some of my guildies' reactions to his voice almost had me rolling on the floor, laughing. I think the best description I've found is "Pinocchio on helium."

I think we're going to be running 25-man Naxx until everyone in our core group is better geared, then we'll head back for another try.
_______________________

Alanon is starting to get some gear now too. He got his t7 shoulders and a few other new shinies. Oddly enough, I've never really been the healer type, but I love healing on him. Don't know why. /shrug

Now that I have 2 level 80s, I'm feeling torn between which side I go raiding on. Boogga has most of the gear I wanted on him, but now we're getting ready for the new content, so I'd like to see that. My Alliance guild is smaller and hasn't progressed as much, but they're all friends, not just guildies, so really I'd prefer being with them. We only raid on weekends, though, and horde-side does several nights a week, so for now I'm trying to do a little of both and see how that works out. My biggest concern is getting burned out on one toon or the other.

That's all I can think of for now. Til next time, Happy Hunting!

Alanon:Ding!

My second 80!!! :)

Now for the joys of gearing up for raids....

While leveling Barraccus to boot. He got the nod for my next project.

Hopefully my horde guild won't forget me, hehe.

So you want to write a story

Found a nice post written by TooManyAnnas about writing a story for your character. I've been following many of the guidelines she lists, but it was nice reading the things I didn't know, and knowing that there were a few things I was doing right. Go check it out, if you're interested.

I haven't been posting much game-type stuff lately, I know, so here's a recap of what I've been up to:

Alanon is 91% of the way thru 79, he will hit 80 tomorrow before Boogga's raid if it kills me. Speaking of Boogga, he has 4 pieces of his t7 set now, don't remember if I've mentioned it before. Barraccus is level 70 and is building up rest for when I get his backstory caught up, while leveling his inscription. I'm hoping to have it maxed soon.

Boogga's chimaera Gwaihera dinged 80 on Friday, I was going to take her to the raid but we had to call it, as no one showed up. We went Monday instead and cleared Naxx and OS. Gwai did a good job, but Boo's dps took a hit, as I expected. I switched her out for Samurai when we got to Sapphiron and Kel'thuzad.

Caelàn is up to 34 and is busy keeping all 3 of her pets up with her. She ought to have her horse soon, she is over halfway thru revered and she hasn't touched Southshore or Stranglethorn yet. Khaotíc is 33 or 34, can't really remember which right now. I'm looking at hitting level 40 with her ASAP, and running her thru instances to collect her mail armor will help with that. She is sticking with Alti as she levels, so pet leveling hasn't been an issue. I'll have some work to do getting Maelthra caught up tho. :(

Can't think of anything else, it's late and I need to crash. Til next time Happy Hunting!

Achievements and Frustrations

Tonight's Naxx went well, as seems to be usual. We cleared 3 wings, Construct, Military, and Spider, and Boogga got his t7 leggings and a new cloak (which unfortunately dropped his hit rating even lower /sigh. I'm hanging on to his old one just in case.). In the spider wing we all got our Arachnophobia achievement with 9 seconds to spare. Lol.

Then I ran into a hunter in Dalaran. Guess what s/he had.



I know I've said I'm done looking for Loque. I'm tired of running laps and never seeing a whisker, then going to someone's blog and reading about how they found and tamed him. I'm just tired of the disappointment. But after seeing this guy, I wound up heading to Sholazar.

4 laps of the map while spamming my target macro later, and still nothing. I think I might actually drive myself crazy sometime. I would love to hear from someone... is there anyone else that has been looking for Loque or King Krush, and never seen a scale or whisker? I'm finding it hard to believe that my luck is this bad. I mean, it's been 5(?) months since Wrath launched, Boogga was level 76 in a few weeks and I've been looking ever since. I have seen Krush ONCE, dead, and Loque might as well not even exist.

So now, on to my other frustration. Barraccus is now level 69 and in Northrend. He has done the quest chain to get his shiny blue axe. But, his story has been stuck for awhile now because I've been having writer's block. The quest he just completed is very important to his story, and now I feel like I shouldn't be playing him until his story gets caught up with where he is in-game, but I have a LOT to cover. For now I am trying to get Alanon to 80, but Barraccus has been fun, and I want to play him. So I don't know what I'm going to do at this point.

Don't want to leave this on a rant, so I'm wrapping this up with a brag moment. First, on the Grand Widow Faerlina fight, Boogga came in at #1 on the damage meter. Second one requires an explanation. My alliance guild master was discussing hunter pets a couple days ago, particularly BM pets. I mentioned that Samurai has done 1k dps by herself on multiple raids. She didn't believe me, so here is my proof (even though she probably won't ever see this heh). The recount for Patchwerk from tonight:



(And yes, my raid UI is messy >.<)

That's it for now, hopefully I will have another chapter for Barraccus finished soon. Til next time Happy Hunting!

Umm...

Didn't do much today. Alanon got his first Violet Hold run, we steamrolled it with 3 level 80 guildies, Alanon, and a 75 DK guildie. Alanon is back to resto, boomkin is fun but I'm probably going to be healing instances alot as he finishes leveling to 80, so I figured why not. As for the rest of today's activities, I thought pictures would tell it better than words. ;)







Forgot to get a SS of the UC raid, it was so hectic that just staying alive and on Sylvanas' platform kept me too busy. This was the biggest reason why I went resto now- since at 75 he couldn't really do anything to the bosses, I figured healing was the best way to help out.

I have another 2-3 stories in my head, but haven't been able to finish any yet. I've been so tired lately that I'm kinda brain-dead. Hopefully I'll get one done sometime this week.


P.S. I find it extremely humorous right now that last Sunday we had an almost-blizzard, and exactly one week later it is 80 degrees outside. >.>