A gift from my Guardian

[Daniz]

This is it, a notebook. Not exactly sure what Im supposed to do with it. A quick peck on the cheek, an “I love you, be good” and this. Then I found myself in Silvermoon.

For the first time in my life I think I am finally alone. Its what Ive always wanted right? All my sisters have found commissions, (except for one, and there is a story there) and my guardian herself is preparing for the push up north. I guess I understand. I couldn’t get a commission with these eyes and she knows it. Apparently, short sighted trolls are on “stand-by”. Reserves they called it. Yeah, I’m on that list.

So she sends me to Silvermoon for more…intellectual, pursuits. At least that’s what she says. To be honest, we both know that Im not cut from the same cloth as the rest of my family. I never got too overly excited with the whole battle, fight, RAWR! thing. Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m no coward by any means, and Ill fight with the best of them, but I’m just not really that good at it. What I am good at is engineering. Funny how that worked out my sister says.

I do like the city well enough. There sure is a lot to look at. A bit bright and shiny for my taste, but overall tolerable. I miss Orgrimmar. The few folks Ive met have been decent, but I must say I do get a few odd glances here and there from some of the Elves. Things like “A little out of your territory troll?” follwed by that better than tho Elven frown. I suppose they are city Elves. A bit different character than what Im used to. They sure do make me laugh though.

*written later in a shaky scribble*

I made my first real kill today. I don’t think I feel so good.

[Daniz]

After I threw up last night I decided I needed to clear my head, go do something fun, so I searched out a tavern. What was it called? Yes! Wayfarers Rest or some such thing. Met some new folks there. It was horribly busy at first, everyone was talking about something or another all kinds of things happening all around me. It was quite exciting. This warlock fellow, Demitri was his name I believe, I call him pops even tho he isn't really that old, at least thats what he tells me. I suppose I should be careful, I mean, he could have gone all warlock on me and summoned all his demons to smite me down, or whatever it is warlocks minions do. OOOOO that reminds me, I met this cow with minions!!! Arkawhodos or something, anyway he had these orc minions and this cannon thing!! I want a cannon thing now. Oh, and the warlock who could be crazy but I don't know because I don't know if all warlocks are crazy, but anyway, he gave me a pattern for my engineering. I now have a pet squirrel. I have named him squirrel because I think it suits him best. Not the warlock, the squirrel. Right!

I have to leave for the Crossroads soon. Ive done about everything I can do here. I have to head out and do more "practical" work say my instructors. I think they mean I have to kill more things. Ive decided that killing is kind of messy business, and it upsets my stomach.

[Daniz]

Ive learned to keep my lunch down. I guess thats a step in the right direction. If my sisters ever found out that blood makes me hurl chunks Ill never hear the end of it.

I went on a little adventure last night. Met this older troll who seemed nice enough, and I think he wanted to show off by taking me to Wailing Caverns. I figured why not, some dead guy wanted me to pick this plant called, lets see what was it...oh yes! serpent bloom or something like that and I figured this was the perfect opportunity to get it done. The plant itself; it looked like tauren poo on lettuce. I didn't want to touch it. It smelled a little funny as well. It was kind of creepy in there. I have to go back, apparently I didn't get all my assignments (again) and need to do some more research there. Ugh, I don't think I like it.

Other than that, the Crossroads are fine, its a little dry and dusty, but there are several small ponds and oasis's around that I can take a dip in if I want. Oh! Thats right, I killed a turtle last night. Not my fault really, I mean, who would have thought that those things would try to eat me! I saw a tin mine in the water and dove in to harvest it, next thing I know I see this big ole lumbering shell of thing charge (well, turtles don't really charge THAT much) at me. I felt bad mining with his body laying next to me, tongue lolling out of his open mouth. It was his fault! I wasn't going to hurt him, but they probably arent that smart.

I was told that soon I will be heading to Stoneclaw...talon? I think thats what they called it. Im not sure Im looking forward to that much, its so damned far away from anything civilized. Ill have to make sure I get everything I need from my bank in Silvermoon. I think I might need to get me some bigger bags as well, seems my habit of picking up every shiny thing on the ground is catching up to me.

[Daniz]

I was finishing up some of my crossroads assignments the other day; I had to go behead a harpy. That was the single most disgusting thing I have done to date. I have a feeling there is going to be more of that sort of thing. Just because some posturing orc said I had to. I did manage to make some coin though. Amazing thing about training as a rogue, PICKPOCKET!! I managed to get a bunch of light feathers as well. Ill put them in the post for my guardian, as She is always jumping off cliffs, only too late realizing She was out of feathers. You don’t really have to hide laughing at someone when they are falling off the edge of a mountain.

Its weird, every time I’m almost done with my off-site classes and have to leave. I don’t want to. For instance, after dealing with the harpy, I was stopping to cope with my dry heaves, and out of nowhere, it seemed, a herd of Gazelle came running around the side of a hill. I quickly stealthed, as not to startle them into trampling me. I could feel the stags breath on me and as the fawns ran by, I reached out and let their soft hide brush my hand. WOW!!! It made me completely forget about the bloody bag I was holding. My grip tightened around the bag as I leapt to run with them. For about 15 or so seconds I was zig-zagging across the barrens with the herd. I eventually slowed and slipped out of stealth. I remember my heart feeling like it was going to burst, but I didn’t care. I collapsed near one of the oasis’s and sat there until the din of the flies buzzing around my bag brought me back from my euphoria. My bag is now ruined. I think I’m going to try to get back there, without the head of course, and run with the Gazelle again.

I think my sister Bri is heading to this area. My guardian doesn’t know though, She would be so mad and make me commute from Shattrath until she was gone. I hope I get a chance to see her.

[Ellsbeth]

WOW!!! It made me completely forget about the bloody bag I was holding.

((Shouldn't side-track this, but I always wondered why the lowbie Barrens quests are so violent. It's an interesting take on someone's response to having to do violent things. I don't think I've seen the like. Keep it up!))

[Daniz]

I saw Bri! She got word to me when she would be in Silvermoon, and I made sure I was in the area. I still had a few projects to finish up in the Ghostlands so it was perfect. We talked about school and I told her about my little, problem with my, uh, delicate stomach. I would be too embarassed to tell my other sisters. Bri is different, she just gets me more I guess.

Anyway, she told me about Thistle Tea. She said that before I head out to work on certain projects that I know might be a little...disconcerning (she has a way with words) to have some tea. It seems a little strange to be having a nice cup of tea before beheading some other supposed threat to the horde. But I will admit, it did make the projects more tolerable. I had a little bit more energy and focused more on getting the task done, rather than the task itself. Bri told me that sometimes people will get really tired afterwards, like a crash. Ill admit, I was a little slow after, but I wasn't exhausted by any means. I think Im going to keep some of this tea on me tho. I mean, it doesn't taste bad either really.

My projects this week were pretty random. I did get to practice my stealth with one project though. There were these bad cows, and I had to go and steal some papers from them. I was able to get in and get out without killing one of them. I was playing hired thug to a caged pig man in Camp T. At first I didn't take him seriously, but after I listened to him I figured why not. Get some coin, and help out the area. I had spoken to a warrior in the Crossroads who had lost his wife to these creatures. As a matter of fact it was I who stumbled upon her body and had to deliver the news to him. How do you deliver that kind of news to anyone?

Well, Im just about ready to move to Ashenvale. I went to the Auction House to get new clothes. The ones I was wearing had seen better days and were likely to blow off if I ran into a a stiff wind. Since Ashenvale is so close to Alliance territory, Im sure I will cross paths with someone willing to lop my head off due to some wrong I will most likely commit against them if I were to live. I figured well, Ill do what I can, and leave the rest up to the fates. Im sure Ill come out of this level of my training a little battered and bruised.

Im glad I got to see Bri.

[Daniz]

I didn't get ANYTHING done yesterday. Two days, and Ive not done a thing. I did attend some fight challange tonk thing at the Gurabashi Arena last night. Tons of people, lots of fighting. The last two standing was this Kor?...Kai....... well his name begins with a K, and another paladin (surprise surprise), Soa? I don't even know how to pronounce that. The Kwhoever guy won.

I don't think I could have ever trained as a paladin. Its so noisy, all that bulky plate clanging and all that holy magic crashing. Although, I will admit, those blood elves can wear the bulkiest and tackiest plate amd still look good and graceful doing whatever they are doing. I can be mesmerised by watching a Blood Elf brush their teeth, there is something about the grace in everything they do.

Oh, and I got some weird news about my new warlock friend. This friend of his, Alyia I think her name is, said that he was gone. Im not sure what gone means, but she seemed genuinely concerned. I was going to ask more but she seemed a bit worked up about it. I put squirrel in my pack because it seemed to remind her of him. I knew that he was thinking about going to Northrend, I wonder if thats what she was talking about.

I think im heading to Ashenvale later today. Im just finishing packing my things, and getting my new books and gear ready. Bri has told me that if I stick with it and not run into any Alliance, I could be out of there rather quickly. I still have a few dungeons that I have to get reports on, but Im sure I can get those done whenever. Im still mad about my chestpiece that I was going to buy. Some stupid jerk outbid me at the last possible minute. Everything else is just so ridiculously expensive. Im sure Ill find something out there. Im bringing one of my ruined bags. I expect more heads and body parts.

[Daniz]

Well I didn't get out to Ashenvale yesterday. Seems there was something going on and officials weren't letting people in or out of the major cities. By the time they had, whatever it was, cleared up, It was too late to really head out. I took a small room for a few days while I was getting everything I needed out of my bank, and did some general housekeeping with my inventory. I decided I would just roam about Silvermoon untill I had to retire for the evening.

There was a strange uneasyness about the city. My Guardian even got in contact with me. She missed me, hoped I was doing well, blah blah blah all that stuff. I mean, I miss her too but shesh, gimmie some room here. I always feel like she is hovering over me, more so these past couple of weeks. Maybe its a phase that She is going thru, I sure don't know. She did tell me that when If my grades were good enough that she would buy me my raptor! Im trying to get all of my pre-requisites done so when it comes time, all I have to do is just walk up to the Raptor guy and pick one out. That would make all this running around so much easier, and my training would go faster as well.

I had a moment or two of frustration today. I was trying to get back to Splintertree Post when all of sudden, out of nowhere this Alliance druid hit me from behind. At first I thought I just tripped over something, a root, rock, leaf, it happens alot. Then I saw a cat form pounce on me. It was the first time I actually saw the face of someone who was attacking me. I didn't care for it. There was some kind of carnal joy and pleasure this...thing...got from that kind of behavior. I knew I didn't have a chance to put up any kind of worthwhile fight, so I did all I knew how to do. Vanished and ran away. I was surprised that the Druid didn't find me. I could tell that they had a much higher level of training than myself. I don't know, maybe they just felt sorry and did see me but just let me go. For some strange reason that leaves a worse taste in my mouth than a beating. If you are going to jump someone less trained than you from behind, at least finish it. This is the Allliance that we are so fearful of?

I have found myself less nausated these days. Ive gone thru, gods I don't know how much thistle tea. Im becoming quite accustomed to it and it has replaced my usual morning drink. Im not sure if the projects are becoming easier or Im becoming harder. Im not sure I want to be hard. It doesn't seem like it would be alot of fun.

[Daniz]

Well, things sure did change quite a bit these last few days. The cities...are so quiet. The barkers on the corner are quiet, if they are even there at all. Along with the barkers the would be customers are also missing from the normal sounds of the cities. Well, here anyway. My sister Bri said I wouldn't recognize orgrimmar. She wouldn't go into details. My guardian came to Silvermoon and told me that She was needed up North. Bri is not going but Bou, my other sister is. She was already up there when my guardian came to see me as a matter of fact. I've not seen many familiar faces in the streets these past few days. Its funny how you get used to seeing the same people in their same spots. The ladies who would chat on the benches by the fountain are gone. Along with that strange Blood Elf I have seen just staring into that same fountain.

I know this is what we do, the Horde. We go willing into any conflict with our heads held high and ready to die. But, what about the people we leave? What about the ones who dont die? Of course there is pride in our death, and honor and glory, but...how come they don't tallk about the sadness? The longing of the ones who are still here? Do honor, glory, and pride make those feelings go away, knowing that, is it supposed to make it better? I don't what makes me think about all these things. Im still young, I know I have lots to learn and go through, but these are the things im thinking right now.

Ive found myself in Murder Row lately. Figure Ill train while Im stuck here, get to know some of the locals, if you will, see if I can learn some new tricks. Ive seen a few of the Blood Elf rogues smoke that bloodthistle plant, They told me alot of the Blood Elves who still use magic will eat it to help curb that magic addiction thing. I guess thats what it is, my guardian won't talk about it. But anyway, I tried it. I didn't get it. Ill just drink my tea and they can smoke their bloodthistle, and we can talk about the weather. Yeah, they really don't talk much about the weather, Well, they dont' mind me being around, and im easily impressed, so everyone is happy.


My studies have pretty much been put on hold. A few classes are still going, the ones they think are "safe" still. So at least I get out of the city every now and then. Bri told me to stay away from Orgrimmar for a bit, she said some things are still a bit uneasy there. I guess Ill do it, I mean, she has always been straight up with me, if she says I should't do something, I shouldn't do it, and thats that. I figure I can do everything I need to do from here anyway.

I should try to get out tomorrow, clear my head. Get myself focused again. Sometimes though, its hard. Thats not very Horde-like I know, but Ill bet Im not the only one who thinks it.