Above the Stars and under the Flames

11. A New Addition

A mosquito flew through a thick-canopied jungle, darting through leaves and through loops of vines. It lowered itself closer to the ground, honing in on a potential source of food. Once it got close enough, it landed on a hairy arm and prepared to feast.

Just in the nick of time, a hand came down upon the insect, squashing it before it had the chance to eat.

"Uhrk, I hate jungles. Too many damned bugs lookin' fer a meal. I'm not a bloody restaurant, ye know!" Koran grumbled sourly, wiping his dirty hand on his leg.

"The Overgrowth isn't that large; I doubt it will even be midday when we get out," Lorithiel replied, glancing around at her surroundings.

"Bah!" came Darren's voice from behind them. They turned around to find him scrambling to untangle himself from a set of low-hanging vines. "If we get out!" he corrected; Koran and Lorithiel exchanged grins, then helped him out of his predicament.

Lorithiel gave Dimpy a pat on the snout as the trio continued their way onward; the pony was not doing particularly well in this environment-it had many of the irredeemable qualities of Dustwallow, but with even more tricks and traps lying in wait for them all. At least it's much prettier, Lorithiel reasoned with herself. Looking around, she took in the view and admired just how beautiful the Overgrowth really was. If only everything in it wasn't out for our blood, she thought with a frown.

Some time later, they emerged from the shrubbery and stopped dead in their tracks. The Great Divide stood before them in all of its glory, splitting the Barrens in half and thus interrupting their journey.

Lorithiel bared her teeth in annoyance, seeing that there was no way of passing over. "I had hoped they would have built a bridge of some sort by now..." she grumbles, agitation causing her to grit her teeth.

"How d'ye s'pose we get across?" Koran asked with a grimace, gazing out over the hundreds of feet that now stood between them and the rest of their adventure. "We can't exactly fly." He glanced over at Lorithiel briefly. "Well, maybe you can." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

Lorithiel quirked a brow and fixed Koran with a curious stare. "... What on Azeroth makes you think I know how to fly?" she inquired, folding her arms across her chest.

Koran raised his hands defensively. "I dunno! Ye're an elf! Elves do weird things like that!" He blinked and shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Er, uh, no offense or anythin'," he added, gulping.

"Yeah, none taken," Lorithiel replied dryly, then cracked a grin and patted Koran on the shoulder. "At any rate, you're right; we can't fly."

"Actually," Darren said, causing Lorithiel and Koran to dart their gazes over to the young man. "Maybe we can." He scratched the back of his head and frowned a bit, looking at a vine lying on the ground. "Though it would be difficult."

Koran made his way up to Darren and took a closer look at where Darren was staring. "... Are you suggesting that we somehow swing our way across?" he exclaimed incredulously. "That's not just difficult-that's impossible!"

Lorithiel joined the two of them and narrowed her eyes, then shook her head. "No, Koran, look-I don't think that's what Darren is suggesting at all. Watch." Quietly, she reached down to the ground and picked up a small pebble. Squinting her eyes and aiming, she tossed the pebble toward the vine.

Quick as a hare, the vine jumped to life and began flailing around wildly, searching for the source of the disruption. Koran gasped and scrambled back instinctively, then stared wide-eyed.

"By Muradin's beard!" he cried out. "I'd heard stories, but I thought they were nonsense!"

"Not nonsense," Lorithiel replied. "Completely true, for better or worse. Darren," she says, turning to face the man, "come with me; we need to gather some large leaves." She glanced over her shoulder at Koran. "As for you, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Dimpy and the vine," she instructed, then departed into the undergrowth.