C
Continuing southward, the blue, humid air began to thin. Towering mushrooms shrank into the distance as I flew. Before long, I found myself in a wide open, lush field. There was something magical in the air; a stagnant feeling of elemental richness filled my senses. At once the failures and grief of Zangarmarsh felt like a distant memory. This land was full of life. Full of possibilities.
The sheer abundance of nature of this area was a good indication that my old hero, Hemet Nessingwary might be hunting these grounds. I decided to fly low, looking for some kind of camp. As I crossed the northeastern border, I saw a dim light. Could this be it? I closed in on the light and discovered a few tents. My mind was made up. It was late, but I simply couldn’t resist meeting the great Dwarven hunter.
I landed behind the group, and cautiously approached the largest tent. I leaned over to take a look inside when I felt something blunt stab me in the back. “What are you doing here?!”. I turned around quick to see an enormous dark brown Tauren with a tribal mask. I started to apologize when the tent burst open. “What is all this?!” To my delight, Hemet Nessingwary was standing before me.
Immediately every word seemed to disappear from my mind. I mustered up a salute, and the old dwarf nodded. In an instant all my words reappeared in a flood. “Sir, I am one of your biggest fans! I met your son down in Stranglethorn Vale and did some hunting for him and killed a huge panther and got his rifle and…” He held up his hand. “So you’re the lad who took my son’s rifle!” Ashamed I began to explain myself but was cut short. “Serves him right! That boy couldn’t kill a tiger if it was standin right in front of ‘em!”
I felt something blunt stab me in the back. “What are you doing here?!”
He then explained to me that he and his group were out here doing some big game hunting. “Want to join our safari? Well you’ll have to prove yerself first! See those beasts down yonder those are clefthooves? Go out ‘n kill as many as you can! If you come back in one piece, I’ll make you an honorary part of my group!”
I was filled with a sense of purpose once again. “I won’t let you down, Sir!” The old hunter lumbered back into his tent as I ran out into the fields towards a group of large, grazing clefthooves, blinded by visions of adventures with Nessingwary and his crew. I didn’t wait one second, sinking my sword directly into the heart of the pack leader. It let out a groan and fell to the ground. In my excitement I didn’t anticipate the chaos that followed.
I was surrounded by twelve angry clefthooves! Feeling completely outnumbered I turned around and ran towards a nearby opening, with a stampede of wild animals trailing close behind. I suddenly met the edge of a cliff. With nowhere to go I only had two choices: fight, or jump. With nothing to lose, I covered myself with my sheild, and took down the animals as they pushed me closer and closer to the edge.
My sword and armor were drenched in sweat, dirt and blood. I killed all but two clefthooves. I was tired, and sore but I wasn’t about to quit. Thinking quick, I stabbed the first one in the shin. It fell down in pain. As it stood up, I slashed the other across the chest. After a few desperate bites and slashes, the beast succumbed to it’s wounds as the other ran stumbling towards me. I dove to the left as the animal tumbled off the cliff, landing with a loud *thud* in the rocks below.
Bewildered, I wiped my eyes and took my weapons off the ground. “Well, that was.. quick?” I thought to myself. I took out my skinning knife, and stacked them on the back of my Gryphon. I returned to the camp, and cautiously placed the skins in front. Hemet stretched and quickly looked through my bounty. “Good, lad! But ‘chyer not done yet!”
