Azerothian Dream Ch. 13

"Aye, let's be goin', then," She said finally.

Shaelah whistled and yipped as turned the rams east.

----(!)----

Pinkerpie and Ebonae were the first ones to come upon the carnage of the ambush in the Searing Path. Ten orcs and a lone iron dwarf female lay dead in the pass. On the far side, Cyduna lay with her head on her paws in the exact place where Vashleielle made her portal to Shattrath.

"Hey girl!" Pinkerpie gasped when she came upon the oversized moon-touched wolf, "What happened?"

Cyduna whimpered a little. Pinkerpie knew the wolf could communicate, but she remained silent. Eventually, Pinkerpie left Cyduna where she was, and scouted the rest of the area with Ebonae. A few hours later Shaelah and Birdette came rolling up in the wagon.

"What happened," Birdette asked from her place on the seat while Shaelah climbed down to walk the scene.

"These do be the orcs that attacked us," Shaelah said.

"From the tracks I've seen," Pinkerpie added, "It appears as if the orc raiders were ambushed by another very large war party. There are tracks all through the pass. They all lead here and then to where Cyduna is laying before disappearing."

"Cyduna?" Birdette asked.

"The wolf," Pinkerpie replied.

"Hruthgar's pet," Shaelah added as she walked over and petted the white-furred beast, "Hey there girl, how do you be without ye master here?"

The Shaelah looked around and said, "Her pups do be missin'!"

Pinkerpie nodded but said nothing.

Birdette got down from the driver's seat and started walking the scene. She came to a stop in front of Cyduna and stared at the animal. It was obvious that she was a special animal by the way her fur glowed. Cyduna turned to regard her and emitted a low growl. It was the first time she had made such a noise for anyone.

"I do believe she doesn't like you much," Pinkerpie observed.

"Aye," Birdette agreed, "Most animals don't. It do be the stink of the magic I use, I do be thinkin'."

Turning to face Cyduna, Birdette said, "I do be lovin' him too ye know. He do be me husband, and the father o' me children!"

Cyduna regarded her for a long moment, and then relaxed her expression and put her head on her paws, appearing disinterested but her silver eyes followed Birdette everywhere she went.

After a while, Birdette shook her head and sighed, "By me own father's beard, there do be magic here. I do feel it. But, even if there weren't, the evidence do be clear. There did be a portal opened here, and I fear we did lose me husband forever..."

She broke down then, collapsing to the ground crying.

"Ebonae!" Pinkerpie called.

The younger dwarf woman, little more than a girl, walked up. She held Bathilde in her arms.

"Give me the child," Pinkerpie said, then turned to stare at Cyduna as she gave her instructions, "Ebonae, you have more potential than I do with taming and working with beasts. I want you to try and tame Cyduna. I thought she may speak to us as she did Hruthgar, but it seems there must be a link between the magical taming seals and her telepathy in order for it to work."

"I do no think I can do it," Ebonae replied as she approached.

"Of the two of us, you have the best chance," Pinkerpie said.

"Nay," Ebonae said, "I ain't even be tryin' it with Coleson."

"Just try," Pinkerpie encouraged.

Ebonae took a deep breath of air and handed Bathilde over to Birdette before approaching Cyduna.

"Hey there me lass," She whispered as she approached, "Please me lady, please let me tame ye..."

Pausing and pointing toward Coleson as Ebonae continued, "That do be Coleson. He do be Hruthgar's pet too. Me husband--he left Coleson to me. I do think he would want ye to be with me too--if only--if only just until Hruthgar do return."

Ebonae stopped speaking and looked at Cyduna, trying to read the animal's mood. She appeared depressed and hungry. Ebonae thought that maybe Cyduna hadn't eaten since Hruthgar disappeared. How many days could that have been?

Stretching out her hand, Ebonae started the taming ritual and stretched out with her mind and heart for the animal. As soon as she touched Cyduna's consciousness, visions of memories rushed into her mind. Like a cascading waterfall, it overwhelmed her--it drowned her. Ebonae gasped and then she cried until darkness overcame her...

----(!)----

"--just give her some time," Ebonae heard Pinkerpie saying. She sounded like she was at the end of a tunnel, "Cyduna is an intelligent animal, touched by the goddess Elune. Hruthgar mentioned having seen Cyduna's memories when he tamed her, but he didn't mention having such a violent reaction to receiving them. I don't think taming her bothered him at all. Which means..."

Pinkerpie stopped to consider Ebonae before continuing, "I--I think he is a very--very skilled hunter."

Ebonae groaned in pain as she came around. Her head was splitting. Raising her hands, she cradled her head as she sat up. When had she fallen?

"Easy lass," Shaelah crooned in a motherly voice, "Taming that darned beast took a lot out of ye."

Memories were still jumbled up inside her head. Cyduna as a pup. Seeing a shadow of Elune on the moon. Growing up. Having pups. Meeting Hruthgar. Traveling together. The ambush was razor sharp. Tracking. Hunting. Staying nearby but never getting too close. That was why she had missed the portal, but she had been close enough to hear the male tell the female the destination of the portal.

"Ugh," Ebonae groaned as she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms, "Do any o' ye know o' a city by the name Shat--trath?"

"Is that where they went," Pinkerpie asked.

"Aye," Ebonae replied as she slowly opened her eyes and saw Cyduna's head in her lap. She gave the wolf a good scratch as she also fed Cyduna pieces of jerky from her waist pouch.

"Mmm," She suddenly heard inside her head. Cyduna's mental voice was feminine but deep and warm, "Thank you. I haven't eaten in days. I fear I had all but given up. I've lost my master and my pups."

"Ye do no worry none," Ebonae whispered, "I promise ye, I do no stop until I do find me husband, and where we do find him I do be sure we do find ye pups."

Cyduna didn't answer, but Ebonae could feel her appreciation.

"I ain't heard of any Shattrath," Birdette was saying while Ebonae communicated with Cyduna.

"Me neither," Pinkerpie agreed with a shake of her head before adding, "I have been on the road for quite some time now, but what I do know is there is no village, town, or city by that name on this continent. I've been from Silvermoon to Booty Bay and there is no city called Shattrath."

"I do think I heard o' it," Shaelah offered hesitantly.

Everyone turned to face her. Her eyes opened wide at the sudden attention she was receiving. She started bouncing and soothing Bathilde absently as she explained, "Aye, the Brewfest last year. I heard o' it from those new draenei people. It do be their capital city on that broken world through the dark portal in the south, I think."

"That do be where we do go then," Birdette declared firmly then looked around and asked, "So, how do we get there?"

"Ironforge," Shaelah offered.

No one else had any suggestions so Birdette nodded her head as she declared, "Ironforge it do be, then!"

They found Triglwyn among the dead and spent some time laying her body out and preparing her. Two coins were placed on her eyes, and then they buried her. No one knew her, so they stood in silence. By the time the sun was halfway down the western sky, they were back on their wagon and traveling north.