Stowed Away [[Open]]

[Xaraphyne]

Xaraphye chuckled to herself as her feet went from sand to packed earth.

Behind her, gulls whirled over the bay, crying to each other. It was still fairly early in the morning, but Xara had too much to do to personally make sure her guest got settled in. Hopefully the deckhand she'd sent running ahead would see to it that the girl wasn't slaughtered on sight. Well, she'd probably actually put up a decent fight by the looks of it. And wouldn't that be a proper Bloodsail welcome?

Xara turned up the path to head towards Booty Bay. While most of those she sailed with were hardly welcome there, she kept a low enough profile and had had a good enough reputation prior to meeting up with Elrioch that she was still tolerated. That was a good thing since Xara had quite a few contacts in the Steamwheedle Cartel, and it'd be a shame to lose them. Especially since she was dying to know exactly what the dark-haired hunter was talking about.

The Rangers and the Blood Knights... apparently two opposing factions amongst the blood elves. Xara hadn't ever paid attention before because she didn't care whose side someone was on if they were good looking and good in bed, and she'd yet to meet a blood elf who wasn't both. Her mind strayed briefly to a variety of memories before she chuckled again and returned to the matters at hand.

Hadn't she said something about a Ranger-General too? Xara thought she should have recognized that, but she didn't. Mentally she shrugged it off as she considered what else the girl had allowed her to know.

She'd been so terribly afraid of the cute but ditzy Blood Knight, what was his name... Leo something. The one who'd given her the gift at the Harvest Ball. But he hadn't seemed to know anything other than the girl had been acting suspiciously. And had a big cat. So he obviously either didn't know she belonged to a faction that opposed his, or he wasn't aware that there was a faction vehemently opposed to his in the first place. Considering how bewildered he'd been by an arguably simple conversation, on more than one occasion, Xara couldn't rule out the latter.

Then again, how big was this faction the girl belonged to? They seemed quite secretive, but they could very well be small fry in the larger scheme of things. Xara pondered this as she set foot in the tavern.

Time to start poking around and asking some questions. First thing she'd do was find out more about the Blood Knight and his fiancee, as the girl had wanted. She looked around the tavern thoughtfully.

[Leoren]

(( It'd be odd if Leo was here, neh? ))

[Slaid]

((Ooh! This looks fun! =D))

[Xaraphyne]

About a week later, Xaraphyne knew everything she needed to know.

Not about Leoren and Nymare... There wasn't much to learn about those two, not that seemed relevant anyway. Instead, her attention had turned to her new stowaway and the secretive organization the girl belonged to. A little patience had gotten Xara all the information she needed.

The Rangers of the Dark Sun was what they called themselves, and they were as small fry as Xara had suspected. But with some very lofty goals. The troll chuckled to herself as she walked her horse through the gates of Silvermoon.

It wasn't a city she visited often. As fond as she was of blood elves, the place sort of creeped her out. She'd spent many of her seasons after leaving Undermine in Thunder Bluff instead, finding the calming air of the place a welcome change from the fast-paced life she lived once she stepped back out. But now she had too many things to attend to and found herself spending her down time in Orgimmar, where it was easiest to touch base with her shipmates, her guildmates, and her allies.

Xara reflected on this as she walked down the perfectly paved road. For some four years she'd lived a carefree, gung-ho life of collecting bounties and doing whatever mercenary work caught her fancy and paid enough to live on (and drink on). She'd been fairly successful as well, building a modest network of sources and allies through which she could get most any information she needed and no few favors done, and garnering a similarly modest reputation. But it had all been a means to live the unbound, carefree life she loved.

Now... Now she was a commanding officer of a well-established guild, and the first mate of a fine crew, and had much more to think about than paying for the next armor repair or the next roll in the hay.

Maybe that had to do with why she'd taken Jazziks under her wing when only two years ago she'd never have let herself get caught up in this kind of business.

Xara tied her horse at the post, reaching up to scratch behind one skeletal ear before she turned to the inn door. Gauzy curtains brushed her skin as she stepped inside and looked around the main room. It was getting toward evengtime and there were a few people present, looking to book a bed, get a meal, find some company, or some combination of the three. Xara slipped into a seat, waving the barmaid away for now.

It was risky allying herself with these Rangers... risking linking both the name of Citadel and of her crew with their business, when neither -- for differing reasons -- would endorse such an extremist political group. Xara had drawn the line at taking action for their cause, offering only the support of a friend and ally to another, but knew she still walked the edge.

However, Xaraphyne wasn't one to go back on her word, nor was she one to believe her gut had led her wrong. Jazz was a good girl, no matter who she'd fallen in with... and a grown one as well, not one Xara needed to shield from consequences or try to make decisions for in the first place. If this was what she chose, so be it, and Xara wasn't going to let the decision change the affection she felt for her.

The troll huntress cupped her chin in her hand, thinking. It might have been odd for those who knew her to see her in such a state without a drink in hand -- or in any state without a drink in hand, really -- but there was more to Xara than many ever suspected. Which was exactly what suited her.

The question was, what would happen when the enemies of these Rangers took note of Xara? Would the consequences be tolerable... not just for her, but for her guild and her crew?

Because they would certainly make enemies when their objective was to assassinate their way through the ranks of the Blood Knights.

Xara sighed. When did she start getting herself into these situations...

[Skafloc]

The note was read over a few times before Skafloc finally crumpled it up and tossed it onto the glowing brazier set up in his old study to warm his herb tea.

It had been some time since the last communique between himself and Baron Revigaz of Booty Bay. Frankly Skafloc had not expected to have anymore dealings with him in the nature of information exchange, not since the disappearance of some of his goblin colleagues after those inquiries on the Stormraven woman.

Yet the characteristic scrawl of his pen was plain on the bottom of the short note. of course there was also the standard request for a case of wine, diverted from the usual shipments through the neutral port for onward deliver to Stormwind.

Skafloc tapped his chin as he leaned back in the large chair, staring up at the wooden beams of his study ceiling.

The information was rudimentary at best and offered no explanations other than questions were asked during the week. Nothing on the nature of the questions nor what the intent was, but the subject of the questioning was certainly known and in light of recent events the hairs were raised on the back of his neck.

He had not spent the better part of the past few days working behind the scenes quietly to diffuse the situation to not investigate why someone would be making inquiries on his ex wife and her fiance. The timing is suspicious.

He lowered his gaze to where the dark mass of Wotan slept in the corner on his woolen mat. The huge fierce wolf was curled up with his nose tucked under his tail as would a puppy. It was difficult to visualize that peaceful looking bundle of black fur being the tenacious and volatile terror he was on the battlefield or the hunt trail.

"Well boy, feel like going hunting? We have a troll to track down it seems."

The wolf raised his head and wagged his tail.

This will not be easy. I scarce know the woman, having only met her once or twice briefly. What I do know is that she is a huntress to be respected. This will be a test for certain.