Red Cloud Mesa was filled with the laughter and sounds of calves playing, it’s was a place where the tauren could bring their young and feel confident that they were safe from harm. One of those tauren was a young cow by the name of Gentlehooves, she liked to sit at her chosen spot near the camp well and play with her favourite toys; two soft pigs called Greenpiggy and Redpiggy.
Many days she would play with the other calves but not today, no all she wanted to do at the moment was play by herself and pick some flowers. However soon she saw a bull she did not know coming towards her, he was the biggest of all the calves, his horns were already quite noticeable.
“Hi I am Shortsnout,” the boy said as he approached her. “What’s your name?”
“Gentlehooves,” she answered him with a smile.
“Umm, do want to play together?” he asked rather nervously.
Though she would have preferred to be on her own, he seemed nice though so she nodded and held out Greenpiggy for him. His face broke into a smile and he took the toy, and sat down next to her. They played together till they heard the call for lunch and returned to the camp. Shortsnout found them a place to sit after they had been given their meals, running about and playing all day had made them very hungry and they devoured them.
“Would you like some of my milk?” he asked offering her his mug, after she finished hers in one gulp.
“Thanks,” she smiled and took a drink.
“I’ll go get us some more,” he stated and stood up.
After he had walked away a large shadow fell over her and she looked up to see none other than Gryngy her father standing next to her.
“DADDY!” she called out and jumped to her feet.
His large arms lifted her off her feet as he embraced her, they had not seen each other for a number of weeks as he had been far away on ‘Maligned’ business. She snuggled close as he held her and rubbed her face in his hair, then she pushed herself away and looked him straight in the eye.
“Have you brought me a present? She asked, he eyes full of hope.
“Aye I have little one, but I’m going spend some time with your mother first,” he told her as her mother appeared as his shoulder.
“Aww, can I come with you?” she pleaded, her mother coughed lightly.
“Not this time Gentlehooves,” her father said. “Oh hello who is this young bull?” he asked as Shortsnout reappeared holding two mugs of milk.
“I’m Shortsnout sir,” Shortsnout said and held out his hand to Gryngy who shook it.
“Well nice to meet you Shortsnout,” Gryngy smiled he turned to Gentlehooves, bent down and rubbed his nones against hers. “Chocomuffin has agreed to look after you while your mother and me are busy.”
“But dad she smells funny,” the girl complained and made a retching sound. “It’s like rotten eggs or something, please don’t leave her here.”
“Now that’s enough Gentlehooves,” her mother said firmly. “Be a good girl and do as you’re told.”
“Yes mummy,” Gentlehooves said defeated.
As her parents headed away a small forsaken female appeared, she was dressed in ripped black robes and her straw like hair was sticking up in all sorts of strange angles. Though she was smiling it did not seem to reach her eyes.
“You kids be quiet I’m going to get some sleep so don’t wake me,” Chocomuffin said, they nodded and she went away to lie down.
Once she was out of ear shot Shortsnout whispered to Gentlehooves, “your right she does smell bad.” They burst out into giggles and ran back into the fields to play. Shortsnout wanted to play tag rather than with her toys, so she placed her pigs next to the well and they started to chase each other about, laughing and chearing all the time.
A group of Bristleback quilboars appeared suddenly carrying some animals. Shortsnout went for his toy sword that he was carrying and looked about ready for a fight, but there was five of them and all were armed with clubs and spears. Gentlehooves grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
“Come on lets get out of here,” she told him and after looking at her he nodded.
When the quilboars started to squeal the calves thought for sure that they were chasing them. Gentlehooves risked a glance over her shoulder and to her horror saw what they were really after, her pigs. They seemed wary of the coloured toys at first but then they grabbed them and quickly picked up the pace towards their home.
“No!!” Gentlehooves yelled. “Give me my piggys back” she cried and began to chase them. But they were too fast for her and disappeared into the tunnel that led to their valley. She dropped to her knees as the tears began to flow down her face.
“Come on lets go get them,” Shortsnout stated, she looked up and saw that he was holding a rather stout looking tree branch. “This is a quest,” he added his small face serious as he reached down to her, normally she would have argued with him but she wanted her piggys back and so accepted his hand.
Only the ancestor’s knew what the Quilboars planned to do with Greenpiggy and Redpiggy so the calves made for the Brambleblade Ravine as quickly as they could. They found the tunnel easily enough avoiding one of the Bristleback’s trained battleboars. Passing through the short but dark passageway Gentlehooves remained close behind Shortsnout.
When the calves emerged blinking out into the light again they were in the ravine. Everywhere they looked they saw huge thorny vines as big as buildings if not bigger growing out of and wrapping around the rocks. Shortsnout suddenly pushed Gentlehooves back into the tunnel then stepped back with her, the shadows conceling them from a patrolling Quilboar.
“This place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” Shortsnout admitted, as they gazed out. “Well we better start looking then, lets try the left way first, come on.”
As quietly and carefully as they could the pair made their way back out and followed the quilboar on its path. Soon it led them to a small hut which was nestled among the numerous large vines. Outside this structure they noted another quilboar dressed in purple rags and appeared to be carving some sort of totem out of a piece of wood. The calves released that this must have been one of the pigmen’s shaman, but they had stayed in one place too long and another bristleback quilboar spotted them.
It began to squealing loudly and grabbed a rock before running to attack them. Shortsnout snorted angrily and gripping his branch charged it. Being taller gave the young bull a greater reach and he swung his weapon with all the strength within his young arms, the resulting crack as his blow connected with the quilboar’s skull echoed through the ravine. The pigman dropped to the ground where it lay their twitching, its pupils wide. Shocked by what how fast and total his victory was Shortsnout stood over the body totally exposed, knowing if they did not move they would be caught Gentlehooves ran out and grabbed his arms.
“Move, Shortsnout, we need to run, please,” she pleaded with him, still in shock he allowed her to lead them behind a large vine where they ducked down.
Like she had feared their presence in Brambleblade Ravine was now known of as a group of quilboar gathered round the broken body of their kin. Rapid and panicked squealing erupted from the pigmen before a shaman appeared he seemed to take charge and had the others carry the fallen one back to the hut the calves had been watching, once they were gone Gentlehooves and Shortsnout headed in the opposite direction. Keeping low they moved deeper into the ravine until they came across a stone which the quilboars had decorated. On the rock was what looked three human females but with wings rather than arms and talons rather than feet, they had to duck behind it to avoid another patrol.
“This must be the ‘Harpy Stone’,” Shortsnout whispered.
“What’s it for?” Gentlehooves asked.
“Well my dad told me that not long ago this ravine used to belong to a race of bird women called Harpies. The horde has pushed the quilboars out of many of their home in the barrans so they came here and drove the bird women out. This stone is to celebrate that victory.” He explained.
“How does this help us?” Genltehooves quizzed her tone slightly miffed.
“Well it doesn’t, but you did ask.” He shrugged and smiled at her.
The patrol had moved on, so once again the calves moved from their hiding place, they had not gone more than a short distance when from around a bend another group of quilboar’s appeared. Shortsnout raised his weapon once again and charged, but this time the small eyes of the pigmen went wide with fear and they scattered before him.
“Umm what just happened?” Shortsnout asked Gentlehooves.
“I don’t think we are alone here Shortsnout,” she replied.
“Yeah, I think your right, lets keep moving,” he agreed and the two ran took the right junction from where the pigmen came from and ran head long into the Quilboar’s main village.
They were spotted almost instantly and when they tried to run back the way they had come they found more Quilboars blocking their path. With spears raised the small humanoids approached the calves and herded them towards the largest of the huts. Once they were outside it a larger quilboar obviously the chief emerged.
“Who you?” he squealed at them in its high pitched voice. “Why you come to our home?”
“We came to get those back,” Shortsnout declared and pointed to Greenpiggy and Redpiggy which were now hanging upside down above an unlit fire.
“You come here for these?” the chief squealed and walked over to the toys. “These pigs, we claimed them for our own but they don’t move so no make battleboars, but maybe make good food.”
“No, they are my toys you cant eat them,” Gentlehooves cried out as tears rolled down her face. “Please give them back and we’ll leave you alone.”
“You are liars, you come here to spy and kill us,” the chief said clearly working himself up. “Not for strange coloured pigs, for that we kill you.”
As one the quilboars raised their spears ready to kill the calves. But as they prepared to throw them a loud bang went off roaring through the ravine. All eyes turned to see a full grown heavily armoured orc walking towards the group. At his side was a white tiger bigger than two of the pigmen put together.
“Give the calves their toys and let them go,” the orc said and levelled his gun at the chief.
“Who are you?” the chief yelled.
“You can call me Saku, and this is Arashi,” the orc said and nodded to the white tiger. “Now I won’t tell you again,” he said and a clicking sound came from his gun.
His small eyes burning with anger the chief untied the toy pigs and handed them to Shortsnout and Gentlehooves. Then his warriors parted as they allowed the calves to pass and walk over to Saku. Arashi moved protectively in front of them his massive sabres clearly visible.
“All of you lie face down in the ground,” Saku ordered motioning with his gun, they did as he said. “I think its time we leave don’t you?” he smiled at the calves. “Don’t try an follow us or you’ll regret it,” he told the quilboars.
He turned and led the calves out of the ravine with no hit of being perused.
* * * *
“Thanks Saku,” Gentlehooves said hugging the orc hunter tightly, he seemed a little surprised by her affection and patted her awkwardly on the head. “Umm you’re not going to tell my mummy and daddy about this, are you?” she looked up at him her eyes as wide as she could make them.
“Afraid I have to kid,” Saku said. “You put yourselves in some very serious danger there and its luck for you that I was there; they have a right to know about it, though they’ll have a few choice words with Chocomuffin about this.”
“We understand Mister Saku,” Shortsnout accepted this, but his tone was a little subdued. “Are you going to tell them I killed one of them?” he asked, the orc shook his head in response.
“No I’ll won’t, because you didn’t. Quilboars have very hard skulls all you did was knocked it out so don’t worry about it.” Saku told the young bull. “Ah here we are back safe and sound at the camp. Why don’t you and your little boyfriend here go get something to eat, I’ll go make sure Chocomuffin is aware of how much trouble she is in.”