A note for 'Blaze' Whiteclaw

[valrae]

A rolled-up sheet of inexpensive parchment is waiting wherever Blaze usually picks up her mail, tied closed with coarse thread.

Eburi'nei Whiteclaw is written on the outside.

Opened, it will reveal several lines of Darnassian text, competently but almost casually written in black ink with a loose, flowing script.

____________________________________

Hello there.

Hope this message finds you well.

I'm writing because I've poisoned your father.

He seems to like you very much, so I thought it might be worth your time to help me with a small task, in exchange for his life.

If you're interested (and I hope you are, he seems like a nice enough fellow, if a little morose...) meet me on the Docks at Menethil.

You're looking for a large boat being refurbished at a dock between the ferries to Auberdine and Theramore.

You find that, and I'll find you.

I'd say you have about four days before things get serious.

Hope to see you soon.

Fond regards,

~Rook

p.s. Included a little something so you know I'm serious.

_______________________________________________

Concealed in the center of the note is a long lock of Cerellean Whiteclaw's hair, tied in the center by a small ribbon.



((If Blaze goes to Auberdine she will find that Cerellean is still in fact there and in apparently good health, but somehow a little more vague and tired than usual, He may recall someone talking to him recently, and bringing him some food. But will be unable to recall any concrete details, other than that it was a Kal'dorei with dark hair.))

[Blaze]

Her thumb brushed over the purple lock of hair that was tied to her belt as her eyes narrowed and peered over the docks of Menethil. The one who was threatening her father was near, and as she stepped off the boat from Darkshore she knew this Rook person would be very close.

Mushal growled uneasily glancing up at his mistress as he bunted his large head against her hip. He wasn't sure what was wrong but he could easily sense her unrest, and visiting Darkshore more then once in a week was not part of their regular routine.

Blaze pressed back against her friend with her thigh as she cautiously stepped toward the boat she was told this person would be waiting for her on. She was dressed in her city leathers, her face hidden behind a mask. Upon her hip was a glowing black dagger.

All her senses and Mushal's alert she walked towards the boat and hopped on looking around. Surely whoever was waiting for her would hear her arrival and present themselves.

[Guest Amboro]

((Ya can't get rid of my that easy! Mu ha ha ha!))

The rythmic sound of four heavy hoofs on stone echooed softly while climbing over the cobble stone bridge that lead from the Wetlands to the port town of Menethil. Gaurds greeted the rider of the large armored covered horse with nods and hands to heart reconizing him form previous crusades and such. Even few Draenei among the gaurds he knelt as he went by. A sigh came from Amboro whenever he saw other do that before him. He was a hero to his people no matter how much he didn't wish it. To humor them he nodded his head to them and and waved them to return to what they were doing. That always started excited whispers after his back was turned on them.

Large gauntleted hands gripped lightly at the reins of the great horse, the Paladin that rode it controled it more with his legs than his reins. Smoething which came with many moons of experience and nights asleep in the saddle. Speaking of his saddle it was starting to make his bottom go numb from the long ride through the swamps. That had been one of the least joyful rides Amboro had ever taken. Crocliks, Slimes, and Murlocs everywhere! And the Paladin hated Murlocs almost as much as he hated the Legion. Their slimy sking and large eyes just made his skin crawl, and the sounds they made! Like and Elkkes tusks on a crystal! Such flithy animals!

But Murlocs were not his reason for coming to the swamp port town. His leads and gut intinct lead him all the way down here to chase after that Huntress he met in the lake near Goldshire. Why he chased after he said he did for his honor. But there seemed more behind his motive besides just honor. Rubbing his forehead slowly he dismounted the large armored steed and walked the animal to the front of the local inn and tied it to the post as he started his search once more. best try the docks first. A few gold coins would loosen the lips of the sailors.

[valrae]

((Thank you for trusting me with this, hopefully it'll be fun. ^^ ))


A human seaman lounged on the aft deck of the docked ship, chewing contentedly on an apple. He looked up at the Kal'dorei's approach, but only momentarily. Traffic to and from the Ferry was not at all unusual. But as the huntress slowed and stopped near the ship he looked up again, squinting his eyes.

Hopping to his feet he stumped over to the Starboard rail and looked down into the water between the pier and the hull of the ship.

"Hoi. Therian."

There was no answer.

"THERIAN!"

The sailor glanced up at Blaze and offered an apologetic smile. Then he hurled the core of his apple straight down into the water.

"Therian! Getcher ass up, damn ye!"

The apple hit the water with a splash and a moment later something could be heard surfacing with a splutter.

"What in hell, Martin?" A deep, exasperated voice in accented Common sounded from below. "It's not like I'm trying to work down here or anything, so thanks for throwing your goddamn lunch at me. The hell do you want?"

Martin sighed peevishly. "Yer friend's here. Take a break and come up."

Silence.

"Oh. Right. Be right there."

There was a splash followed by some scrabbling noises and finally the speaker pulled himself up on the dock, sopping wet. The night elf was dressed only in belted tarp pants and lashed-on sandals, and armed with a thick wire handbrush. His skin was a dark plum color, which his glowing golden eyes stood out against. His black hair was pulled back and tied in a ponytail. Both arms were covered from wrist to shoulder in tattoos made up of intricate, complex patterns that were only partially discernible against his dark skin.

He glanced at Blaze a moment and gave her a wide, friendly grin before turning to Martin.

"Hoi. I need the next two days off. You know I've earned it."

Martin scowled. "Two days?" He looked between the two elves. "Is that how long it takes you people?"

The elf laughed and playfully threw the wire brush at Martin's head. "Stop it, you'll make me blush. It's not like that, we're just taking a trip."

The sailor yelped and ducked out of the way, then peeked back over the rail. "Fine. But you finish scrubbing the keel when you get back."

The elf nodded. "Aye, 'cause your lazy ass never will, that's for sure." He grinned and turned back to Blaze.

"Sorry for that," He said in Darnassian, offering a slight bow. "I'm Rook, amongst a few other things. Glad to see you, but honestly I wasn't expecting you for a while yet."

He scratched idly at his neck, thinking.

"Eh. Let me put a shirt on and then we'll talk. You can wait here or meet me at the tavern, I suppose."

[Blaze]

Blaze had been tensed and prepared to strike. Every muscle had been coiled like a spring, and the glint in Mushal's eyes mirrored his mistress' unease and readiness to join her at a moments notice.

When she heard the voice she blinked and took a step back recognizing the accent. She held her breath and waited for the mystery speaker to appear and sure enough as she had suspected it was Kaldorei.

She couldn't help but stare for a moment. He was a very fine specimen indeed and she watched him speechless. Mushal on the other hand uttered a threatening growl not at all phased by the other elf's smile, appearance or manner. The growl brought her back to reality and she narrowed her eyes. Rook, the one who has threatened her father. Her jaw twitched and she remained stiff.

"I will follow you." she retorted in thick Darnassian coldly. She was not about to allow this one out of her sight until she was sure her father would be safe.

[valrae]

Mushal's growl moved Rook back a step, and his eyes flicked between the animal and it's master.

"That's a big one..." He let out a low sigh. "But I'm sure he'll behave, hmmn? I hope so." He looked at Blaze with a smile still on his face, but his eyes were hard-lined.

"In any case." He held a finger up. "Hmm. Rather chilly out here all of a sudden. Let me just slip into something more comfortable, and we can get down to business. Even though this is a port town, walking around half naked doesn't quite work past the docks."

He took a step back and leapt from the dock to the closely tethered ship, catching himself on the rail and swinging over.

"Don't fret, I'll be right back. I need you, remember?" He flashed a grin and turned to go belowdecks.

[Guest Amboro]

Amboro had hidden himself behind a stack of large wooden barrels that gave off the awful aroma of rotting fish and liquor. The combination of the two was positively ghastly as the Paladin tried more to breath through his mouth than his nose. But all that did for him was make him taste the fish and booze in the air instead of smell.

Loud hacking coughs came form behind the stack of barrels as he continued to try an spy on the Huntress and this new Night Elf. Amboro instantly didn't like the man, and so did the tiger too apparently.

Though finding her at the docks so easily came to him by surprise. From what he had gathered form their previous encounter she preferred to stay away from populated areas like this and stick to the woods with her pet. There was really only one reason she came to the towns and that was to search for a 'mate' for the night. Amboro's temper quickly flared thinking she was here to meet the man for this reason. His hand on his axe's hilt, his knuckles turning white under his armor.

Calmly his temper and pulling his coughing so it was only a the faintest of noise he continued to watch ready to leap and behead the man. Looking back to the inn his good eye went large for a quick second when he saw that his horse was gone. Amboro had even went inside the tavern to tell them he need a stable for his mount. Someone knew he was here too, and they intended on keeping him here till they were through with him.

[Blaze]

Blaze kept her eyes locked on the half naked elf intently. The initial shock of seeing him and his appearance was wearing off now, as the weight of her fathers possible peril sobered her.

She did not yet see Amboro, or hear him. Any noises attributed to background noise of sailors or whoever making usual sounds.

When the elf lept over the side she rushed to the side of the boat to lean over and watch him as best she could, her jaw tensed and twitching. Whoever this was had some nerve.

"Hurry it up!" she called after him. She hated to think her frahers possible life hung in the balance over this elfs false modesty.

[valrae]

Rook smiled and hummed happily to himself as he padded below the deck. This was going to be such fun. He moved quickly and nimbly through the cramped, human-sized passages, leaving wet footprints as he made his way below the waterline and down deep into the hull.

The ship wasn't his home, not truly, but while he worked here he could stay here as well. When it sailed again after it's long retrofitting he might be on it, and he might not. But until then, it was his place.

He found his chest amongst the others in the hold. Flipping open the lid, he shucked himself out of his wet work pants and toweled off perfunctorialy with one of his old shirts.

"Hurry it up!" He heard from somewhere up above, and chuckled. He still wasn't sure why he had chosen her, or that he had chosen correctly. There were others he could have gotten, perhaps not as easily, but perhaps safer. She had a dark fire in her, that much was plain. She was dangerous. He smiled and hummed to himself. He liked that. Perhaps that was why. In any case she could handle the job, that much was also plain.

He set about dressing. His gear -his important gear- was stowed neatly in the very bottom of the chest. He critically inspected each piece as he put it on, boots to bracers. He worked the buckles into place with trained and practiced fingers. He stood, and shifted on his feet, testing the fit. It was rigged to be silent, and silent it was, the supple leather at the joints barely whispered, and nowhere did metal clink against metal. Even the buckles themselves were sanded so they did not shine.

Next came the implements, two long and curved blades. Mutt weapons, too short to be swords, but too big to be daggers. They went into scabbards crossed steeply over the small of his back, well used and well loved. Next came a compact crossbow, the arms folded in, which found a home slung crossways over the two scabbards low on his back. The handful of bolts that fed the machine rode on a case strapped on his thigh.

And that was that, save for two things. A dark gray tabard, blank of design, which he slipped over his head and belted, half-concealing the weapons that he carried. And a silk mask, filigreed with delicate golden thread, made to hang like a veil from the bridge of the nose. For now he simply tied it around his neck.

He hefted the rest of his travelling gear, enclosed in a dusty and well worn pack. The sound of shifting bottles and the strong, spicy smell of alchemical ingredients escaped as he swung it onto his shoulders.

He padded back to the main deck, gone for perhaps a minute and a half.

"Deepest apologies," He said sincerely in Darnassian, again with a half-bow, "for keeping you waiting."

He hopped lightly from the deck to the dock, silently save for the movement of the articles in his pack.

"Fortunately now there will be no more delays on my behalf." He smiled, looking at her in detail for the first time. She was... Unconventional. She had none of the traditional crystalline kal'dorei beauty, but in it's place was something simple and stirring. His smile widened and he made a soft 'hmh' noise in his throat. A second later he caught himself.

"Eh. Well you must be dying with questions. I'll let you ask, or you can let me spill everything. Either way let's walk, shall we?"

He nodded towards Menethil and started off that way, careful not to get between her and Mushal. ...Or anywhere near Mushal, for that matter.

[Blaze]

He may have been gone for a short time, but every second she could not see him Blaze grew more anxious. Her leather clad feet padded back and fourth anxiously, Mushal sat a set back out of her path watching warily. He did not like whatever was happening, and he did not like that he couldn't seem to console his mistress this time.

When he reappeared she jumped back away from him, almost tripping over the large tiger which had to scramble himself to keep from being fallen upon. She straightened and stuck out her chin with her fists clenched. Her eyes noted his new attire and instantly she assumed he was a rogue. Deep inside part of her was disappointed, but it went consciously unnoticed.

As he hopped onto the dock she stared briefly at his pack before she and Mushal joined him, the movement effortless for them both. She preferred wearing leathers when she wasn't hunting for creatures, they allowed for easier movement and made less sound.

"Are we to be going on a trip?" she questioned narrowing her eyes as she fell into step with him a few paces behind out of swords reach.

Again, she paid little attention to the coughing and shifting of Amboro, though as they passed by Mushal didn't miss him at all. The tiger stopped dead and sniffed around the barrels and crates uttering a low growl. Without looking back Blaze barked a short word and Mushal grudgingly pulled away to rejoin her.

She stared at Rook's back as if she could read all about him there, and in fact she could to a degree. Having spent almost all her life with animals she learned to catch and interpret even the most subtle movements. It was a useful skill to have, one she used as freely as breathing. It had saved her skin on multiple occasions.

"You talk."

[valrae]

Rook walked along the dock easily enough for someone with a huntress and a tiger at his back, who not only probably wanted to kill him, but probably could. He hadn't had this much fun in ages. The tiger worried him more than the huntress, though. Such creatures, as intelligent as they could be, didn't understand things like leverage. Keyed in to his mistress nervousness, it might act on what she wanted to do, but knew she couldn't.

But there was no reason to be careful quite yet. The hand had just been dealt, and he still held most of the cards. Later things might get interesting. For now he'd enjoy himself. He strolled along, rolling his feet unconsciously heel to toe, rounding out along his outsoles, a shadow of his true professional walk, but remarkably soundless nonetheless.

"Are we to be going on a trip?"

"Mmm-hmn." He nodded, distracted for a moment by some movement in some barrels. He watched the tiger stalk over and growl. A rat maybe. But probably not. He glanced at Blaze as she called the creature back. Maybe he didn't quite have all the cards in the game.

"You talk," she said.

He noticed with an amusement how she was keeping out of arm's reach. The poor thing had backpedaled when he'd jumped to the dock, too. It was almost cute, but it wouldn't do.

He stopped and turned.

"Sunshine," he said in Darnassian, intentionally mispronouncing her name, "let me explain something. I'm not going to hurt you. As I said before I need you, if I didn't we wouldn't be enjoying this fine day together." He gestured to the world at large. "And since if all goes well we won't be together very long..." He smiled and gestured at a spot next to him on the dock. "Let's be friends. Walk with me, and let's talk like civilized elves."

[Blaze]

Blaze walked in a stalking fashion much like her tiger. There was no girlish sway in her hips like the rest of the females of her race which always seems to walk like they are prancing through a gentle stream, no, her walk was one of purpose- ready to jump at a moments notice.

She wiped at a dirt smudged cheek which was partially peeking out from under her mask with her knuckle as she listened to him speak, stopping instantly as he did. Her shoulders were rolled forward, head dropped down. 'I'm not going to hurt you.' he had said. Little did he know he already had by threatening her father. There was other ways to get her attention then by doing something foolish like that.

Mushal split his gaze from looking behind him to where Amboro was and to this Rook person as he settled into a restless seated position to the right of his mistress.

Blaze's gaze went from Rook's feet and crawled slowly up his frame to meet his face where she stared directly into his eyes. "I am not civilized." She kept her gaze firm and unblinking, "What have you done to my father."

[valrae]

The rogue met and held the huntress' gaze for a moment, head cocked slightly to one side, not challenging, mostly curious.

"No... you aren't civilized, are you? Poor choice of words on my part." He chuckled softly.

"Eh. Have it your way. Follow along and I'll sing you a song." He shrugged, turned and walked on, speaking over his shoulder.

"As for your father, you've heard of a dreamless sleep potion, yes? It's a bit like that. But at the same time much weaker. And much stronger. Tomorrow he might sleep for nine hours. The next day ten. Then eleven. Then twelve, and so on, and so on, until eventually he won't wake up at all. Painless, of course. So that you don't have to worry about. And reversible as well, up to a certain timeframe, at least. Fortunately for everyone, you got here with plenty of time to spare, and we have something like several days before any real problems arise. Honestly that was the only part I was worried about."

He smiled, turned and walked backwards so he could look at her properly.

"So, to boil things down, what you want from me is an antidote. And what I want from you... I need your help."

His mouth turned down somewhat and his tone became almost apologetic.

"Understand this, please. I am a very bad person, as I'm sure you'll attest. But I'm not cruel. I did what I did because there was no choice. It had to be you and it had to be now. I couldn't afford to have no as an answer. I doubt it'll make much difference, but I am sorry. If there was another way I would have taken it."

His grin reasserted itself and he continued happily. "But! You're here just on time, so there won't be any problems. We'll get my little task out of the way, and you'll get the antidote you need to save your father. Aaaand since you'll probably try to kill me once you have it, I'll have find a way to escape." He looked at Mushal with real worry. "...Which honestly will probably be harder than I expected, but I think I'll manage. Everything's going according to plan." He smiled reassuringly. "Sunshine, there's nothing to worry about. Least of all for you. Everyone is going to be fine."

[Blaze]

Blaze listened to him with a blank stare. Her fathers fate seemed to her almost kinder then what he was forced into normally. Staring off out at sea locked within his own mind. Only to come out once and awhile to ask young strangers the same thing, over and over... Save Anaya. Perhaps sleeping forever would be his freedom after so long. And hers...

Gasping Blaze grunted and lurched forward, her attention having been so distracted she didn't notice the rise in boards on the dock and caught the front of her toe on them sending her flying forward.

"Everything's going according to plan." He had smiled reassuringly. "Sunshine, there's nothing to worry about. Least of all for you. Everyone is going to be fine."

Mushal perked his ears forward and bunted his head against his mistress'. However she was burning with embarrassment and shoved the tiger angrily away as she stood and recomposed herself. A short lock of midnight blue hair had slipped out from under her hood and partially covered her left eye.

She quickly poked at the hair shoving it back away into hiding and shot Rook a deadly glare, daring him to say something.

[valrae]

((I'm not sure from your description whether she fell all the way to her hands, or merely tripped and caught herself.. I'm assuming the latter but if not let me know and I'll rework my post a bit.))

The rogue's eyes widened as Blaze stumbled. He deftly switched directions, stepping forward and reflexively extending his arms to catch her. In the half-second it took to make the motion though, she seemed to check herself and instead of her falling into his arms the only point of contact was three fingers lightly pressing into her waist. He left his hand there long enough to be sure she held her balance then pulled it back, unwilling to provoke the ire of her companion.

"Careful." He murmured kindly, leaning his head close to hers. "Footing's a bit treacherous here."

He pulled back to their previous distance of seperation, brushing three fingers idly across his thumb.

"And you aren't allowed to get hurt, by they way." He spoke mildly, pretending not to see her piercing glare... But oh, he saw it. "Because you're the one who's going to save me."

[Guest Amboro]

Amboro thought for a brief moment whne the Huntress's tiger had coem over sniffing and growling at the barrels. The Paladin didn't know whether it was good luck or bad that she had called the beast back to her. A low snarl escaped the lips of the Paladin as he watched the Pair of Elves go by. When they had started speaking their native tongue it got a bit harder for him to follow their conversatio. Maybe only getting every other word. But it was enough to piece together their conversation.

Watching the Huntress trip made him nearly go to full height and hope the barrels to help her. But seeing her catch herself though this man named Rook was there to catch, which made the Paladin's blood turn hot with anger. But all Amboro acomplish was him poking his head above th barrels for a few seconds then kneeling back down to watch again.

[Blaze]

((Sorry, I envisioned her falling to at least a knee, and one hand planting against the wood before her muscles clued in and reacted. Your post is a fine interpretation however if you would like to leave it. Sorry for the confusion and lack of detail I was a bit rushed at the time. If you would like to change your post, feel free. I'm sure her reaction would not change much, though it is good for personal details.))

Blaze's fall had caught Mushal off guard as well, his attention back to Ambroro's bobbing head. Lucky for Rook, otherwise the great tiger would have mistook his well meaning action as one of attack on a weakened prey.

Rook's swift movement on her distracted mind also caught her off guard, and she uttered a surprised gasp when, to her, he was suddenly there, the smell of sea salt and his natural sweat filling her sensitive nose. Where he had touched her it burned about as much as her cheeks were as he spoke to her.

(If Rook had caught her own scent it would have been a mixture of Nagrand grasses, faint smells of blood and the leather that she is wearing. Though I suppose the leather scent may not be as noticeable to him considering he wears it often.)

She rubbed at at her waist as if it had been stained, and planted a heavy palm between Mushal's shoulder blades. The tiger had begun to advance on Rook baring his teeth. At the contact however he stopped his advance and stood still, though his tail swished with his agitation.

Blaze tilted her head doubtfully at Rook, "How."

[valrae]

"Hm?" Rook murmured absently, his attention momentarily drawn back to the pile of barrels. Presently he looked back to the huntress, frowning a bit as he saw her have to stop the tiger's advance.

"Oh, how. Easy peasy. All I need you to do is open a chest for me, one that I can't open myself. That's it. And since I'm such a considerate friend I'll even unlock it for you, and take care of any pesky traps." He scratched at his neck. "To be truthful, though, there is also the slight issue of there being some people who are supposed to be keeping everyone away from the chest in question, so, there will be some call for the use of these-" He hooked a finger under the crossguard of one of his blades and swung it out, around his finger, and back into it's scabbard in one fluid motion. "I may need some help with that bit." He grinned. "I'll save exactly who these individuals are for a later date, but I can assure you that no-one is going to miss them."

((*edit: I screwed up one of my own plot points. >.< is fixed now.))

[Blaze]

Easy peasy? She blinked and looked confused for a moment. Words had always confused her, and this new set was no different. She was still wondering what a peasy was when her mind caught up to the rest of what he said. She watched him try to impress her with his fancy knife tricks and it was all she could do not to yawn.

Pulling her hand from Mushal's shoulder blades she took a confident step forward, holding her palm now in-front of the tiger's nose. He obeyed and did not move. She narrowed her eyes on Rook and stepped close enough to get up into his face, their noses inches apart.

"You do this to my father over a box!?" she stared at him her eyes burning into his. Her entire body posture was angled at him and tense. Still, the tiger did not move from his spot though his ears were flat against his broad skull. "You cannot find another to open this box!? You choose to do this to me!?" Words she should say next got too jumped and lost in her head as the realization of it all smothered her. Finally she just blurted out, "Why!"

[valrae]

Rook blinked as she stepped in, close enough for him to think he could feel the heat of her anger radiating out at him. He stood there a moment, unmoving, bemused, and listened to her angry words and questions. After her last exclamation he let silence reign for two seconds before abruptly leaning forward and playfully bumping her nose with his, then leaning back again.

"Eburi'nei." He said quietly.

"It's not the box. It's what's in the box. If what's inside gets into the wrong hands, I'll be killed. It's as simple as that. It's in the wrong hands already, and now it's only a matter of time. So what I did to your father, I did because I want to live. Because I needed help and because I knew how to make sure you helped me."

He looked at her earnestly, mouth twitching into a frown. "I said before, I regret having done what I did. But it was necessary. I swear on my soul that no harm will come to you or your father. If. If you listen to me and do what I ask. ...Please."