Azerothian Dream Ch. 10

Chapter 10- Avalanche

"Did you find it?" I mentally sent to Cyduna early the next morning.

I turned over while I waited for Cyduna's reply. Pinkerpie's plump bottom was pressing into my groin and Shaelah's breasts were crushed up against my back. It was a perfect morning.

"I tracked it to an old cave," Cyduna sent back accompanied by a memory of the gaping maw of a cave, "There was the smell of death there, and many old bones, of animals and dwarves."

"It looks to be Vagash's old lair," I sent, then asked, "Did you ever catch sight of the beast?"

"No," Cyduna answered, "Whatever it is, it is very good at not being seen when it doesn't wish to be."

"I see," I answered with a mental nod of understanding, "You did well."

A sense of appreciation mixed with gratification was sent to me, and then Cyduna's mental touch faded away as she chided, "No Fennic! You do not bite your sister's tail!"

Turning onto my back, Shaelah snuggled in closer, pressing one breast into my side and settling the other so that it lay across my chest. She snuggled her head on my shoulder and slid a thick leg over my hips and curled her leg around my thigh. Pinkerpie mumbled at my vacancy behind her as her overly wide hips, for her size, and curvaceous bottom chilled. Flipping over, she grabbed a blanket and pulled it over her as she snuggled in on my other side.

----(!)----

A few hours later Shaelah, Pinkerpie, and I were hiking through the snow-covered mountains toward Vagash's lair. Mandalay was left behind because she was still young, only a couple of years older than Yarlyn who was twelve. She was also supposed to watch Fennic and Ealura, and keep them out of trouble. She already had a rapport with them. She would make a good huntress one day. So, I wasn't worried about her or the wolf pups. She would take care of them, and they would take care of her.

Cyduna led the way up the trail toward Vagash's lair. It was easy to follow. The rams' carcasses being dragged over the snow had compressed it making it as easy to traverse as a road. Well, maybe not a road. Better to say it was more of an old logging trail.

Smeared blood staining the snow only reinforced that we were on the right path. We all had to fight to remember to breathe, and more than once Shaelah hefted her heavy two-handed maul-axe. Aside from her weapon, she wore a heavy leather jerkin over ring-mail and a heavy leather belt girding her waist. It was cinched tight and decorated with a silver buckle with a stag on a mountain peak in carved relief bordered with a dwarven rope design. Thrust through loops on each hip she wore two tomahawks and in the small of her back was a thick-bladed knife. Over it all, she wore a thick brown cloak made of waxed canvas with a thick burlap lining and heavy a grey wolf pelt draped across her shoulders.

Pinkerpie wore a plain brown shirt made of heavy wool, waxed leather britches that were so tight on her bum and thighs that I was sure she might split them any time she squatted, and heavy fleece-lined boots that lace to her knees. Over her woolen shirt, she wore a heavy leather bra with fleece lining that showed above and below the cups holding her breasts.

I teased her that a bra was supposed to be worn beneath her clothing to which she had returned a nasty look and retorted snarking that it was armor and not a bra. Over her clothes and armor, she wore a cloak similar to Shaelah's, heavy canvas with a burlap blanket lining and a heavy wolf pelt on the shoulders. For a weapon, I gave her my Winchester rifle and two bandoliers of ammo. She also wore a belt on top of her britches and a regular belt that held more ammo. For close combat, she had two daggers sheathed and dangling from the belt behind her buttocks.

As for myself, I wore a heavy wool shirt with a heavy leather chest piece lined with small ring mail, fleece-lined leather britches, and fleece-lined boots to keep me warm in this frigid land. Shaelah said it was a colder spring than usual, but if this was spring what the hell was winter like?

To complete my garb, I wore a gunslingers belt and holster where I carried my M1911, and around my back, in custom molded leather holders, were clips of ammo. Additionally, dangling below my belt, on each hip, sheathed and hanging from straps connected to my belt, were Dragon's Call and Firebreather. Still, two of the best swords for hunters I knew of. To complete my gear, over everything I wore a green version of the cloaks Shaelah and Pinkerpie wore.

Halfway up the trail to Vagash's Cave, it began to snow, and then the wind picked up. Thankfully, the wind was in our faces and not on our backs. If that had been the case our scents would have carried on the wind ahead of us and given our approach away.

"We're here," Cyduna sent to me telepathically a couple of hours later.

Looking up, I signaled Shaelah and Pinkerpie to halt. Using my other hand I pulled the hood of my cloak back and scanned the area around Vagash's Cave. It looked different from what I remembered in the game. The way the mountains had come together, and the refuse piles in the clearing and outcrop overlooking the valley and Amberstill Ranch. It was all so much smaller in the game. In reality, the area was almost as large as a football field, and that made me nervous. That flat open snow-covered field was a lot of land to cover and not be seen by whatever we were hunting.

"Pinkerpie. Shaelah," I said quietly as I motioned them to come close as I knelt to draw in the snow, "You two skirt around the perimeter to the left. Cyduna and I will skirt around to the right. We will meet at the cave entrance and see what we see."

"What do we be hunting," Shaelah asked, "Would it not attack as soon as it do realize we do be here?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Most likely," Pinkerpie agreed then continued, "But, if it has been out hunting all night then it might be sleeping now during the daylight hours."

"Possibly," I replied as I looked up at the two women I had so recently come to care about, "Be careful both of you. I do not want to lose either of you today."

"Nor do we wish to lose ourselves," Pinkerpie said sarcastically while Shaelah said, "Aye, nor us ye."

They looked at each other, both a little surprised by the other's answer and then they giggled. I kissed Pinkerpie and Shaelah then we parted ways and began our final approach to Vagash's Cave.

It took a half hour to slowly skirt around the open, snow-packed area and come to the front of the cave. Pinkerpie and Shaelah were on the other side of the opening. Cyduna crouched right beside me. Slowly. Silently. We turned into the mouth of the cave. The only sounds were those of snow packing beneath our feet and our breathing.

Near the entrance we came upon the ram carcass torn apart and gutted, steam still wafting up from it. Further back the cave sloped downward and continued. The entrance was well-lit and bright but as we continued it grew dark, dank, and much colder.

I led the way, but several steps in I felt a sinking feeling. An abject despair. A gut feeling that we were walking into a trap. Visibility was nil. We could light a torch without giving away our presence and location, and we were on this beast's turf. I came to a halt and grabbed Pinkerpie and Shaelah as they came abreast of me.

"Stop," I sent to Cyduna.

"It waits for us," She responded in a soft mental voice.

"I know, we're leaving," I replied as I gave Shaelah and Pinkerpie hand signals to retreat the way we came.

Once we were back outside of the cave Shaelah whispered, "What do be happenin'? Why do we retreat?"

"It knew we were there," I answered.

"A trap," Pinkerpie agreed with a nod, "We were in its home. If we had continued it would have killed us all."

"Most likely," I agreed.

"So, what do we do now?" Shaelah asked.

"It just ate, so it isn't hungry," Pinkerpie said.

"No," I agreed with a shake of my head, "Bating it will not work. We will have to provoke it."

"Okay," Pinkerpie said.

I shook my head though, as I added, "I want to know what it is we're hunting before we kill it."

"So we set traps," Pinkerpie agreed heartily.

"Aye, then, once we know what we do be up against, we kill it?" Shaelah purred as she hefted her heavy two-handed maul-axe.

"We shall see," I replied.

----(!)----

Pinkerpie and I spent several minutes trapping the entrance of the cave with four Ice Traps and four Steel Traps. We made the Steel Traps a bit more visible, as if we were attempting to hide the traps, but had failed. Depending on the intelligence of the monster we were hunting it should see them and leap over them if it was capable. If it was stupid then it would wade right in and be caught. However, if it was intelligent and agile and leaped over, then it would be caught in the Frost Traps. Off to one side, I left a small opening that Cyduna could trot through.

"Okay, Cyduna," I sent my mental message, "You know what to do?"

"Perfectly," She reassured.

"Good," I sent back with a nod and a hardy pet across her neck and shoulders.

Cyduna trotted past the traps and disappeared into the cave. Down she went and with her blessing from Elune, the darkness appeared to be lit faintly by the blue light of the moon and myriads of falling stars. On a cleft in the far back wall, she saw her prey, large and white, with its lips peeled back bearing long sharp teeth but not emitting any sound. The creature thought that Cyduna could not see it. It was wrong. Glowing white energy roiled in Cyduna's mouth, her silver eyes glowed, her fur stood on end almost glowing itself, and then she released her spell, Moonfire.

There was a roar from within the cave and the three companions prepared themselves. Cyduna came charging back up the cave at an all-out run. She was a white streak veering to the side avoiding the traps before sliding past Pinkerpie and Shaelah. She dug her claws into the hard-packed snow and let the momentum of her rear-end spin her a hundred and hundred and twenty degrees before digging in her claws, throwing snow and ice behind her in a cone, as she tried to get traction and speed back to my side. Shaelah, Pinkerpie, and I were too caught up in dealing with what came out next to pay any heed to Cyduna.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. What I saw should have only been found in Winterspring!

Charging up out of the cave was the largest cat I had ever seen. Beautiful. Majestic. And, furious!

The cat was as white as new snow with a faint graying and speckling. Its fur was long and its tail bushy, and its head was shaped very much like a snow leopard, but this cat was much larger being several inches taller than me at its shoulders.

"Woohoo!" Pinkerpie yelled out excitedly, then looked over at me and said, "You have Cyduna, this beast is mine to tame!"

"Are you kidding me!" I nearly shrieked back, "That thing could eat you in a single bite!"

Pinkerpie cackled maniacally, "I know! That's the fun of it!"

The Pinkerpie ran to the center of the cave entrance. Right up to where the frost traps were and yelled, "Hey cat! Over here!" And then she turned around and wagged her ass before slapping it.

The cat didn't roar, it leaped at Pinkerpie!

My breath caught. My heart stopped. If we were off at all in the slightest Pinkerpie would be dead before any of us could do anything about it.

The cat landed and the Frost Trap sprang. The cat leaped sideways to avoid it and landed on the second. It sprang and the cat was caught!

Pinkerpie immediately started taking the beast. A mental and spiritual contract that let Pinkerpie's consciousness dominate the animal. She stayed under the thrall of her concentration until the magic of the Frost Trap dissipated. The cat almost meowed as the taming took hold and then all of its anger disappeared. Pinkerpie slowly approached and the cat nuzzled her hand.

Pinkerpie giggled as she looked back at me triumphantly and proclaimed, "She is a Touched beast as well. By the frozen plains of ice and wind. I think I am going to name her Avalanche."

"Can she speak to you, like Cyduna can to me," I asked?

Pinkerpie shook her head no and then added, "I feel desires, that's all. Much like how you described your connection to Coleman."

"I see," I said.

"Well, that do be a little on the disappointin' side o' things," Shaelah said though her voice betrayed her relief in not needing to fight an animal several hundred pounds heavier and twice as large as any of us.

"Better to win over a new ally than have to kill such a magnificent beast, I say," I replied.

"True enough," Pinkerpie agreed.

"Well, I guess we be needin' to disarm these traps and headin' back then," Shaelah said.

I nodded. Pinkerpie was too absorbed in bonding with her new friend to pay attention, so I found a large branch and sprang each of the Steel Traps. Once they were recovered we started the long hike back to Amberstill Ranch.

Upon our return, we presented Avalanche to the Amberstills and informed them that their predator problem was resolved. Rudra, oddly enough, didn't seem pleased with our success. However, Veron and Turuk were overjoyed. We stayed one more night, and then the next morning we left Amberstill Ranch with twelve rams on lead ropes. We tied them to the back of the wagon and then we loaded sacks of corn feed on the sides of the wagon and stacked more on top of the wagon. Once everything was loaded we left Amberstill Ranch and began the long trip home to Thorium Point.

----(!)----

Thirty-nine days came and went as we traveled the Quarry Road. The road was wintery with snow covering everything. The trees were still bare of leaves. We even saw several wild pigs. Strangely, though true to life I suppose, we never caught sight of wolves, snow leopards, or bears, which I knew were in the area because of playing WoW. Living the game really was different than playing it.

A few days after leaving Amberstill Ranch we came upon a road leading to Gol'bolar Quarry. Of course, we didn't turn down the road. We didn't need to. We were already set on our quest to get home as soon as possible.

Though, I knew if we did, most likely there would be quests from the quarry manager to help the miners clear out the troggs. At least, that was how it was in the game. Then again, this was still the starter area for the dwarves and those were quests at the beginning of the game, so the likelihood of the quests being completed already was great.

This Azeroth seemed to be very much like WoW's Azeroth. It was like this world was a historical place on which the game was modeled upon. There were significant differences though. Like the fact that the quests I knew of in the game all seemed to have been completed already. Of course, some of them were repeatable due to ongoing or recurring political or economic situations. However, most of the quests I came across were new and very different. Nothing like what I had done in the game itself. Still, as I said, we already had a quest, so we bypassed Gol'bolar Quarry.

We made good time if twenty miles a day was considered "making good time." The days passed by with all of us taking turns driving the wagon. Anytime I was alone with Pinkerpie or Shaelah much of our time was spent making love, but as the days drew out we started talking more too. Shaelah told me about her life growing up. Her marriage to Hurnskov. Their years together. Getting pregnant. Giving birth to Mandalay. Raising her. She brought me right up to the present day. There were many times she cried, but as she brought her story to an end her glacial blue eyes, rimmed with unshed tears seemed to sparkle, but she didn't cry. I hugged her deeply and repeatedly. She was a strong woman, but even a dwarf needs support from those she loves and love her in return. That I could give her.

Pinkerpie's stories were flamboyant and always gave an almost irrepressible positivity that rejected the harshness of reality. She shared with us her roots. She wasn't born on the Isle of Kezan. She was actually born in the back of a wagon much like the one we were riding in now. Her parents are still traders though they are in Kalimdor now. She was raised as all goblins were, learning to read and write, of economics, supply and demand, and the art of negotiation. Everyone in Azeroth, goblins included, also needed to take up a martial, magical, or spiritual profession, and her affinity had always lent towards taming and training animals.

Later, as she grew up she saved and purchased her own trader's wagon and slowly grew her business. Eventually, she had three wagons and ten employees. That is until they were all killed by the bandits in the Searing Gorge.

Once Pinkerpie and Shaelah shared their stories, then I shared mine. I told them about my previous life. Being married to Megan. Getting struck by lightning, and being summoned to Birdette's apartment. Of being held prisoner and then eventually winning Birdette's trust and affection. I talked about our child, Amberdine, and of Birdette's announcement that I was to be a father a second time just before we left. I told the story of learning blacksmithing and mining from the iron dwarves and of working with the smiths to make my new weapons. And then, I told the story of finding Coleson and then finding Pinkerpie and the bandit camp.

Aside from us sharing our life stories, Pinkerpie and I went hunting with Avalanche and Cyduna. We ate well, and so did our animal companions.

The mountain scenery was cold and wintery. Beautiful. But as the days passed spring melted the snow and green grass grew, the trees came to life and put out new foliage, and there was a smell in the air of new life. Spring turned to summer and still, the days were not hot while the nights could still take on quite a chill. We found old turnouts where travelers from years passed had found and made good campsites. We cooked more and more outside over fire pits, but we always retired to sleep in the small, cramped, house wagon. Then, came the day we arrived at the South Gate Pass.

It was a huge building jutting out of the mountain some fifty feet with an arched portal. The road was smooth with no inclines leading into the tunnel that was carved right through the heart of the mountains making it easy for us to drive our wagon right through.

To each side of the arched portal hung two massive flags of Khaz Modan. We passed by them slowly, and then we rolled down the tunnel toward South Gate Outpost.

On our thirty-ninth day, we emerged from the South Gate Pass and finished the day by arriving at the intersection of the road we were on and the road that led from Thelsamar to Thorium Point. At this point, from the time we left Thorium Point on this quest to buy new livestock till now, I had been away from home, away from Birdette and Amberdine, for ninety days. Three months!

Birdette was now three months pregnant!

As I set camp, I turned to look at Pinkerpie and Shaelah. They smiled at me pleasantly as they went about their chores, setting up our camp for the night. While I cleaned the fire pit and went in search of firewood and fire-tender.

We would cook and eat outside tonight. Hell, we might even sleep outside!

As soon as we came out of the pass the weather in Loch Modan became significantly warmer. No, it was almost downright hot by comparison!

Once I returned and made a fire, Shaelah came over and set a pot filled about halfway with water on it. As she knelt I noticed that her belly had rounded well with pregnancy. A look at Pinkerpie bespoke much the same for her as well. They were both pregnant. Close to three months of my guess was right, which meant both of them had most likely conceived while we were still in Kharanos or on our way to Amberstill Ranch.

Mandalay helped out by feeding and tending to Avalanche, Cyduna, and the pups Fennic and Ealura. I fed the rams. In some of our camping spots, there were corrals where I could unhitch the rams pulling the wagon and let them and the other twelve pasture. However, most of the time all I could do was tie a horse line between two or three trees and tie the rams to it by their lead lines. By the time I was finished with the rams dinner was ready.