World of Warcraft: Journey of the Huntress

Chapter Four

Larraine remained on her hands and knees for a long time once she finally reached the ground below the Skyfire, her eyes closed. She trembled as she tried to catch her breath and ease the rapid beating of her heart and she blindly grasped at the grass under her hands, digging her nails slightly into the earth below in order to remind herself that she was once more on solid ground.

"I'm sorry, Larraine," Bixby apologized, patting one of her shoulders. "I didn't realize you're afraid of heights."

"It's not heights that bother me, it's falling from them that I don't like," Larraine clarified for her, taking one last deep breath before sitting up and looking to the airship above them. "Why did Gardenia go back up to the ship?"

"She's dropping off her flying machine, and then she's going to take a parachute down to join us."

Larraine nodded and stood up, then held out her hand to Fang. He came over and nuzzled her palm, then she laid her hand on top of his head and ruffed his fur. After he was sure she was okay he sat down next to her and patiently waited while she removed the pack her parachute had been in and then readjusted her gear so that the strap of her quiver crossed over her chest and freed up one shoulder for her pack and the other for her bow.

"Here she comes!" Bixby announced, pointing up into the sky. Larraine looked up and saw Gardenia calmly floating down to the ground, maneuvering her parachute with ease as she directed her fall to land next to where they were waiting for her. Once her feet made contact with the ground, she jogged a few steps before coming to a stop, then unfastened the pack from her chest and raised her goggles from her eyes.

"Did you guys see what's going on over there?" she asked them, pointing in the direction of the Horde landing where Rell and the others had gone.

"No," Larraine replied, shaking her head.

"It's a mess," Gardenia said, letting out a weary sigh. "Looks like the Horde already brought some siege equipment to the shore before we had a chance to take their ships down. I'm guessing they were planning to attack the village Rell asked us to check out."

"We should warn them!" Bixby suggested. "Before those stinky orcs get a chance to hurt anybody!"

"What is it with you and stinky orcs?" Larraine asked, curious about that particular phrase the tiny rogue kept spouting.

"Have you ever fought an orc?" Bixby asked her, scrunching up her nose. "They smell bad! I don't think any of them even knows what a bath is. Except maybe Thrall, but he's the one exception. I imagine he probably smells like incense. Or maybe flowers. Still, I doubt he'd smell as nice as the king."

"How would you know what the king smells like?" Larraine asked, causing Bixby to blush.

"I... I don't. I just use my imagination."

"Right," Larraine drawled in disbelief. Knowing Bixby, she'd probably snatched a shirt from Varian's laundry during one of her little scavenging adventures at the Keep.

"Come on," Gardenia prompted as she set off in the direction of the nearest path. "Let's go make nice with the locals."

Larraine followed the two gnomes along the path, heading away from the site of the Horde encampment. As they walked, she looked around and took in the surrounding environment. Everything was an incredible shade of green, and unfamiliar trees dotting the sides of the pathway rained down soft pink petals upon them as they passed underneath. A warm breeze blew through the trees, sending even more of the petals down on them, and with those petals came a delicately floral scent. Larraine closed her eyes and felt a sense of calm start to fill her in spite of the direness of the situation they were in.