M
My mind raced with horrid, gruesome images of dead Trolls piled high throughout the ruins of Zul’Farrak that night, so I decided to follow up on a few tasks in the southwestern part of Tanaris. I spent some time in the shady oasis, killing dew collectors in an attempt to collect an unpunctured dew gland.
It was easier said than done. I killed countless collectors, but not once was I able to retrieve an undamaged gland. Frustrated I stood by a cactus, sharpening my weapons when I heard a low mumble in the bushes nearby. “Oh I’m so lost, Torga must be starving!”. I looked through the bushes and to my surprise, the voice was coming from a large tortoise slowly pacing back and forth.
I rubbed my eyes thinking again that this was just my imagination. Then the tortoise noticed my curiosity and looked up hopefully. “I am so lost! My wife, Torta, sent me out to fetch dinner and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Would you be so kind as to lead me back to Torta? She’s waiting for me just south of Steamwheedle Port.”
Suddenly the dew gland didn’t seem so important. Trying to put my shock aside, I agreed to take the tortoise back to his mate. He excitedly followed suit. I decided to go on foot, knowing there would be no way for the tortoise to keep up. It would be a long, cold walk.
Then the tortoise noticed my curiosity and looked up hopefully. “I am so lost! My wife, Torta, sent me out to fetch dinner and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
So we trudged along, walking over countless sand dunes, and large skeletons of the beasts from the past. At one point, the tortoise began to complain, “I wish you could just pick me up and..” I turned around to see a scorpid charging toward my companion. I drew my weapons and fought off the creature. In an instant, that slow tortoise jumped into action. I stepped back as he viscously bit the scorpid in half in one chomp.
After an awkward pause, we walked onward. I was wondering how an old tortoise could fend for himself out here and I got my answer. He may look feeble and weak, but cross him and you’ll see a whole different side of his personality.
My legs began to feel sore as we walked towards Steemweedle Port. I saw the outline of the trees in the far distance, illuminated by the rising sun. We were both exhausted as we walked the tortoise-filled shoreline, looking for his beloved wife, Torta. In an instant, the tortoise charged forward directly towards his tiny mate.
In a shrill voice, she rang out “Tooga, where have you been?!” Having been away from her husband for so long, I would have expected a little more tenderness, but she seemed more interested in food than her poor husband.
I wanted to introduce myself, but couldn’t get a word in as the two bickered. So, with a shrug I rode back to Gadgetzan thinking about the whole situation. That was an awfully long ways from the shoreline. Was Tooga really looking for food, or was he trying to escape?
