Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Jungle Action

The outpost remained unattacked until the next day.Hadrissa wasn't happy, now that she realized the truth more clearly, the Horde was just executing the next phase of their plan.Whatever their Ashenvale commander's plans, she knew he must be in high office, appointed by the new warchief Garrosh Hellscream himself. An hour after dawn, the gates of the outpost opened, and a group of sentinels on leopards rushed out under cover of archers and foot warriors, ready to face any enemy they might encounter.Hadrissa led the charge herself, and her nightsabers roared eagerly at the scent of the orcs.

But though they found the traces of the archers, they saw no tribe present.It was as if they melted into the shadows and disappeared once they had completed their evil mission. Dani blurted out her opinion. "We should have come out at night. I knew we should." Hadrissa dismissed her contempt for her decision.The commander considered his options again.Among all the outposts, Hadrisa's station is the most important.This is largely determined by its location.It sits roughly in the middle of a series of outposts that delineate the Union's sphere of control.The other one is the Silver Wing Outpost.Silverwing Outpost is unique in that it is a defensive fortress in hostile territory, not far to the northeast is the Horde's Splinterwood Outpost.Even though the orcs have advanced in other areas, the Silver Wing Outpost still stands.It was fortified by the bravery of its defenders and by a narrow passage linking the outpost with other Union lands.

They've lost contact with Silverwing Outpost, but that doesn't mean it's lost.The plume they had seen earlier was farther north.The Silverwing Outpost is located further south across the Flen River.Hadrissa guessed that the smoke might have come from a lesser outpost, such as the Temple of Ringo.She hoped the defenders there would hold their ground, especially now that she couldn't help them. The commander is encouraged by the lack of evidence that Silverwing Outpost has fallen.But she also knew she had to act quickly.If they could link up with Silverwing Outpost, they could form a stronger front line against the Horde.

There is no need to wait for Darnassus' reply.Although the supply convoy never found Eladria's body, she was apparently killed.It will take a while to restore communication, and until then nothing helps.Hadrissa had sent three nightsaber riders west, but whatever the Horde Commander had in mind, he was sure to do so before sending reinforcements to the capital. "Silver Wing Outpost... Dai Ni, I need to divide the army into two. One will defend here, and the other will follow us to the Silver Wing Outpost. Act now." "Are we going today?" "That's up to you." Hadrissa didn't care if Dany was hurt by her words or her tone.The commander had lost patience, and her lieutenant had to understand who was in charge.

As if to prove that Hadrisa underestimated herself, Dani allocated the outpost garrison within an hour.Still, it feels like a long time.The commander has been on guard against another sudden attack by the Horde.They didn't show up, but she couldn't tell if that was a good sign. She considered letting Dany stay in charge of the outpost, but chose another officer instead. Hadrissa needed her best officers at the front at this time.And her ambitions aside, Dany was unquestionably the best. The Sentinels lined up and set out cautiously on the journey.The scouts riding leopards scouted ahead and reported back on time.They looked for the traces left by the tribe, but only saw footprints in different directions mixed together, and they couldn't track them at all.

Hadrissa disliked the Horde's unpredictable strategies of late.This was not the war she was used to.Whoever was coordinating the enemy's actions always caught Hadrissa by surprise.She can only hope that her decisions will counter their plans. Despite the upheavals in the world, it is at least comforting that the war continues, Hadrissa mused darkly.She hoped that by now they had arrived at Silverwing Outpost, so that whatever the Horde might plot next, they would be able to put up a proper resistance.The thought of this brought great relief to her.Better to give her the usual clean-cut war than the bewildering tricks that the Horde is now suddenly employing.

Give her a real war. War broke out...and Varian didn't care. His son left him.Anduin left him. His former rivals in the arena would have laughed at the former gladiator's mourning... if they were alive.The great Rakesh was tearful for his son at the moment. A courier brought word of the war to Varian and his people, and the rest of the Alliance was also notified.The High Priestess wanted to organize an army to go to Ashenvale, and asked other nations to provide all the assistance they could immediately raise.Naturally, Stormwind would lend a helping hand, but it didn't matter at all to Varian.For him, the whole of Azeroth has lost its meaning.Anduin left him... and he knew it was all his fault.

It's yet another defeat he's suffered, and yet another proof that he's better off going back to those lost memories, day in and day out, fighting to the death with the rest of the scum in the world.It would have been better if he had died with her father; that way Tiffany would not have married him and become another victim of his cursed life.That way Anduin is safe too, because he— He never existed. Varian cursed himself, gulping down the rest of the cider.He longed for something strong like Stormwind whiskey instead of night elf cider.However, even drinking enough of this stuff can temporarily numb his brain.In order to accomplish this important task, Varian ordered his frustrated guards to find him more fruit wine or dwarven ale.And he was sitting in a chair, scolding himself endlessly towards the room where Anduin had slept not long ago.

The prince had left with the draenei as he said.Varian temporarily postponed his return date.He didn't want to go back to Stormwind alone...at least not yet. I lost him, Tiffany... I lost you first, and now I lost him... Someone knocked on the door.Varian frowned, his eyes still fixed on Anduin's room.He had given orders to his attendants to bring directly to him all liquor they could find.This means that they can walk straight into the sight of the master regardless of etiquette.He just wants to get drunk and forget everything, and the sooner the better. "Damn it, come in!" they still didn't get through, so he growled. "Hurry up and bring up the wine you found!"

The door finally opened, followed by a voice Varian least wanted to hear. "I didn't bring any alcohol, but I thought there was a way to cheer you up." The king's eyes still did not leave his son's residence. "Forgive me, I don't want anyone to accompany me now, not even you." Malfurion moved past Varian, blocking his view. "Anduin wouldn't want you to be like this, especially because of the fight with him. Neither would your late wife." The king frowned. "Please leave, Archdruid." Malfurion said stubbornly. "If you don't want to talk, maybe you will be willing to find a better way to vent your frustration."

Varian couldn't help being interested. "If there's anything you can do to get me to stop thinking about it, just say it." "Better than drinking here. Let's go hunting." "Hunting?" He sat up straight. "As a druid, you want to take me hunting? Isn't that against your creed?" "Hunting is an important part of maintaining the balance of nature. We do not condemn bears -- or wolves -- for taking their prey. And if humans, night elves, or others take what they need and respect nature's bounty, then There is no contradiction at all. Azeroth has nurtured us, and my comrades have given back to it with all their meager efforts." "'To the best of my ability'...I know how powerful you are, Archdruid." Malfurion shrugged. "I have been given abilities, but with them come responsibilities." Varian nodded. "A true leader must understand that with great power comes great responsibility. I know that too." "Enough talk, though. I'm just here to invite you to relax by hunting. If you're not interested..." The king stood up. "Oh, I'm very interested." "Very good! Let's gather your men—" The archdruid's words were met with a derisive snort. "I don't want some fat-headed prince to go hunting with a hundred squires to scare the poor beast out of the bushes, so that he and his wretched fools can surround him and hack him to death. Or shoot a hedgehog! This is not hunting, this is barbaric behavior that even the orcs cannot accept! No... I prefer to hunt alone with a bow and stealth. If I succeed, I will return with a reward. powerful." "That makes sense." The night elf gestured towards the door. "Then it's just you and me." "Are you going hunting too? You can call the beast to yourself! What kind of hunting is this?" The archdruid smiled lightly. "If you think I would abuse my power on such occasions, then you don't know me well. Come, let's see who has a better harvest." Desperate to do something to forget about Anduin's departure, Varian couldn't wait any longer.He took out his bow and quiver, and left his residence gratefully led by the night elves. As they were going out, two of the king's servants came back.Both managed to secure some cider or ale. "Put it in there," the king decided, and if the night elf's offer didn't do much to ease his troubles, the wine would still come in handy. "The archdruid and I are going out for a walk alone." The guards looked at the bow and arrow in his hand, but did not raise any objections as usual.Varian followed in the footsteps of the night elves, completely ignoring them.At this time, he has gradually become suspicious.Going alone, hunting was just up to him.But with night elves around at all times, he couldn't track his prey.This will only make Varian more depressed. Just when he was about to turn around and go back to drink, the two came to a forest, and there were no night elf buildings in sight.Malfurion allowed his guests to watch the area in silence. "Looks like a good place to hunt," Varian admitted.He looked at the archdruid and found that the other party only held a staff. "Are you going to use that thing?" In reply, Malfurion leaned it against a tree. "No, I prefer to hunt as an animal...and as an animal." Varian now finally understood what the night elves were planning. "You're going to be a feline!" "Isn't it fair to hunt like this?" Varian laughed, surprising himself. "If you're talking about being more successful than me, that's not enough. Are we hunting together?" "I think we'll meet up here then. I'm going hunting this way," he pointed north. "And you can go that way. I guarantee there will be plenty of prey for you." "Just what I want." "Then I wish you good luck! May you get what you ask for!" After finishing speaking, the archdruid changed his form.He threw himself forward and landed on all fours, his hands turned into fleshy palms with sharp claws, and the coat on his body disappeared without a trace, replaced by smooth black fur.His face widened, and his nose and mouth became a stubby muzzle. A mighty nightsaber stood beside the king. "You'll need a bit of luck to win against me," Varian said defiantly, and now he was fully engrossed in it. The big cat let out a low growl as if it was amused, and then rushed into the woods. "Ha!" Varian didn't let his opponent get ahead of him.The king dashed into his forest, his senses alive as he ran.He has a bow and an arrow, and other than that, he only wears a dagger at his waist.Should something happen to his bow, or if the prey survived the arrow and needed a quick end to its suffering, the dagger would suffice. His ears picked up the sound of movement.Varian smelled wild deer.He couldn't say why he had become like this in the hunt, unless the king himself had become something more... free. free. Wild deer are nearby.Varian tensed his bowstring, and he only needed a single arrow to bring down his prey.He felt obligated to show as much respect as possible in the hunt, as the night elf had said. Varian's anger at Malfurion was mostly gone.The archdruid found a way to comfort the king.He would thank Malfurion later— The wild deer suddenly rushed into his field of vision and ran straight in this direction, not in the direction Varian expected.It was a young stag which charged at the king and forced him to leap aside. Just then, he came face to face with another hunter. A werewolf. The furry hunter looked even more surprised than Varian.The two confronted each other, so the buck took the opportunity to escape. "You..." the werewolf said sharply. "You are--" "Varian Wrynn!" growled a disgusted voice. A second werewolf suddenly appeared.His fur is snow white, only the hair on his head and neck is slightly black.The intensity of pain in the newcomer's shining blue eyes made Varian ready his bow.Behind the second were nearly a dozen werewolves, all submissive to him in their movements. "How dare you come here!" said the second werewolf, while changing his shape, his body size shrunk slightly, and the fur on his body also disappeared. Genn Greymane pointed to the bow and arrow in Varian's hand. "Go ahead! You've broken my heart! My people suffer for your choice—" Varian lowered his bow. "I won't waste arrows on you. It's bad enough that you screwed up my hunt. Did you come here to change my mind?" "What nonsense! We've been hunting here all along! You're the one who ran up to our camp and asked questions!" "I don't—" The ex-gladiator realizes he's been played, and he knows who did it.He looked around, turning his anger on Gilneas on someone else. "Where are you, Archdruid? Do you think this is funny?" "'Grand Druid'?" Gene looked a bit embarrassed. "I don't find anything funny about the events of the last few days," Malfurion Stormrage replied from behind Varian. "As for the fact that Jin and the other werewolves were hunting here, I completely forgot about it." The archdruid put on an innocent look.Despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary, Varian found himself unable to accuse the night elf to his face.He glanced at Genn to see that the other king did the same. "It's impossible to hunt in such a crowded place, Archdruid." The Lord of Stormwind finally commented. "Anyway, I have no appetite to continue." "That's a good thing to do," Gene interjected, slightly contemptuously. "Or you'll bump into us over and over again, and your loud footsteps will scare away all the prey..." "There's never a day when I can't hunt you or your bastards, Greymane," Varian retorted, taking a step toward Genn. "Ha!" Another king stepped forward. "Even our little ones could catch a stag before you! As for myself, I'd bring down a whole dozen stags before you could shoot one with those poor little arrows!" "It's always boasting, but never doing what it says—" "Let me say a few words," Malfurion said, standing between the two kings. "Empty words are nothing, unless you have the capital to prove your words." "There's always trouble with Greymane—" "Just say something self-righteous—" A thunderclap sounded nearby.The other werewolves flinched and flattened their ears. As if the archdruid hadn't noticed the power he displayed, he continued, "As I said, there's no point in yelling at people if you can't prove yourself. Maybe now is the time to show the power behind the words gone." "What the hell are you talking about?" Varian blurted out.Genn nodded to his opponent, indicating that he was about to ask that question too. "You can continue this endless bickering with your own words...or draw conclusions about your differences and see who is stronger." "You're trying to put us together," Gene growled, "so we can all see each other the other way! Ha! I know this guy - too well, after all the shit he said... " "Bastard truth," Varian retorted. "But I agree with Genn, Archdruid...I also agree that it's useless at all." "Then you two have nothing to fear at all." "It has nothing to do with being afraid," the King of Gilneas grumbled. "Damn it! Even if I were willing to condescend to hunt this guy, he would fall all over the ground..." Gene changed his form again without warning. "Forgive me, Malfurion, but we've wasted too much time. We don't hunt for sport. We hunt for hunting." Gene sprinted into the bushes.The other werewolves turned and followed without a sound. "Stupid Gilnean," Varian whispered, more to himself than to the archdruid. "I apologize if this has caused you any offense," Malfurion said respectfully. Varian ignored him. "Give him pelts, claws, or even wings, and Greymane wouldn't be a hunter. He'd still be bragging, even after all the damage he'd done to himself and his country..." The archdruid pointed to a direction that could keep away from the werewolves. "If you still want to hunt, there's good game here, Varian." The king continued to stare in the direction in which his opponent disappeared. "Varian?" The king didn't say a word, and galloped away in the direction the werewolf left.