An Awakening (Part 2)

Author's note:  This is the continuation of a story that I did not publish on this blog, nor do I intend to do so.  It is published at FanFiction.net in the Warcraft section (or search under my pen name - it is the same as my main male character), and is rated M.  Nothing graphic, but it does deal with "adult situations", some of which will spill over into this story.

As noted on the first half of the story, this arc takes place some 8 years after the Shattering.  This places it somewhat outside the normal flow of the story.

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The cabin was silent as the boat slipped past the large sloops of the Southsea pirates, bobbing at anchor along the channel to the sea.  Both inhabitants sat quietly, arms around one another as they watched out the windows for any sign of notice or pursuit.  But the ships lay dark in the quiet night, and no signal appeared.  He broke the silence as the small boat turned north toward Ratchet.

"So, when we return to civilization, it is back to 'business as usual' between us?"

She rested her head on his shoulder before replying.  "And just what 'business' would that be?"

"You know, being Alliance vs. Horde and all that.  Under most circumstances and in most places, our presence together would raise a few eyebrows, at the very least.  Some areas, it would raise a lot more than that."

"In other words, you'll act like you want to kill me, and I act like I want to kill you.  Sounds like a typical relationship."

"C'mon, Aur, be serious."

"I am.  I don't understand why this has to be such a secret.  There are plenty of organizations that recruit from both Alliance and Horde - Earthen Ring, the Cenarion Circle, the Argent Dawn.  Maybe we could join up with one of them.  What about a neutral town, or a diplomatic mission?  I'm not saying we need to get married, settle down and have fat furry children.  But you're talking as though we can never see each other again."

"It could come to that, yes."  He turned to look at her.  "Do you have any idea how difficult it would be, unable to live near our other friends and family?  I'm not sure that children are even a possibility, but even if they were, would you want them to hear the whispers and cruel jokes of others?  Life would be constant struggle against closed minds and closed doors.  I would rather not be with you and prevent the harm that might come, than to intentionally put you in harm's way.  Ultimately, I would rather have a small hurt now over a much larger hurt later."

Tears welled up in her eyes.  She buried her face in his shoulder to hide them, but the sobs were not so easy to mask.  After a moment, she gained enough composure to reply.  "You're right.  It kills me, but you're right. Still, I wish there were another way."  She pulled her arm away and turned her back to him.  "So I guess this is goodbye, then?"

He hesitated for a moment, then placed a large hand on her shoulder.  "Auryon, it is the only way.  It hurts me to part this way, too.  If we find one another again, so be it.  But it will destroy both of us if we try to push this, now, here."

She shrugged him off and stalked to the other side of the cabin.  He sat and watched her go - wanting to run to her, to hold and comfort her.  Then suddenly she turned, a look of delight on her face.  "I know!"

"Unidentified craft, halt and stand by for boarding!"  The loud voice from outside startled both of them.  Forgetting whatever solution she had been about to report, she grabbed him and pushed him toward a nearby doorway.

"This is my boat, and we're in Theramore waters.  If they find you here, they will kill you!"

"I'm a druid, remember?  I specialize in getting out of these sticky situations."

"Well, you better get to it, then.  I need to show that we're complying with their instructions before they blow us out of the water."

He shifted into cat form and stealthed, which made her eyes widen even further.  He whispered, "I'm still here.  I won't go anywhere.  Remain calm, and I won't kill anyone unless I have to."

She raced to the tiller, threw the throttle down to idle and waited impatiently as the boat coasted to a stop, bobbing on the sea waves.  A moment later, the pursuit ship came to a stop a short distance away.  The darkness and torchlight on the decks made it virtually impossible to see details.  Then a dazzling light was turned toward their boat, washing out their view of the ship entirely.  After a moment the voice returned.

"This is a routine inspection.  Don't try anything foolish.  What is your business here?"

Auryon stepped from the cabin and shouted back toward the ship.  "I am carrying no cargo or passengers.  My business is my own.  Lady Jaina Proudmoore has personally authorized me to pilot these waters.  What have I done that deserves this treatment?"

Her words met with laughter from the men gathered along the rails.  There was a pause, then the voice replied.  "We will need to verify your claims.  The ship's boat will join you shortly."

Auryon remained on deck as she waited.  She brought out her weapons and laid them in plain sight - she did not want anyone to assume a hostile intent.  After a few moments, she heard the squeak of oarlocks and the grunting of the rowers.  As they drew up to the boat, the spotlight went dark.  She found herself unable to see much more than vague shapes, while the recent brightness caused phantom spots and shapes to appear before her eyes.  She waited as the men clambered aboard the boat, then stepped forward.

"As you can see, this is a small boat.  I can't carry much anyway, and I'm empty on this run."

The men fanned out around the boat, making a cursory inspection.  The leader stepped forward to Auryon.  He was tall for a human, nearly her equal in height.  He appeared to have light hair, and he wore a cap with a strange insignia on it.

"You mentioned that you carry papers from Ms. Proudmoore.  May I see them?"

"Of course.  They are here in the cabin."  She opened the door and allowed him to step through.  He glanced around the room quickly, then motioned for her to step inside.

Across the small deck, Mato watched from behind a ladder.  He had shielded his eyes from the spotlight.  When combined with his catlike senses, he was able to see and hear the actions and conversations of the four men now scattered around the deck.

He noted that, if their job was to inspect the boat, they certainly did not show much interest in doing so.  Two of them carried small packs of some sort, and all were armed.  Each of the men carrying the packs was paired with another who appeared to be his guard.  One pair approached his hiding place, and he squeezed further into the shadows.

"Hope this doesn't take too long - I was in the middle of a poker game with Garret.  Winning, too."

The other chuckled evilly.  "I don't know - did you get a look at the boat's owner?  I suspect the lieutenant will take his time enjoying that one before he slits her throat.  Fine piece of tail like that doesn't come along every day."

"'Tail' is right.  That just ain't natural, no matter how fine she looks."

"Well, just get the charges in place and we'll be ready to blow and go soon enough."

The first snickered.  "Think you got that backward.  I don't want to be anywhere near when these things blow."

He opened the pack and began wiring a strange device to the bulkhead.  The other man watched for a moment, then was distracted by something nearby.  "I'll be right back - think I heard something in this other storage room."  He walked through the doorway beneath the stairs.

After a moment, a pan clattered to the floor.  The explosives expert glanced toward the doorway and called softly, "Everything okay in there?"

There was no response for a moment, then a voice called from the darkness, "Can you give me a hand with this?  The lieutenant will want to see it."

He grumbled as he set down his tools, and stepped into the dark doorway.  As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found himself face-to-face with the bared teeth of a large cat.  He barely had time to register the random thought that the cat had horns before it clawed him across the face and all went dark for good.

Mato stuffed both of the bodies into nearby storage lockers, then prowled out onto the deck.  The other two men were standing at the cabin window, watching whatever was going on inside.  His pounce knocked out the first, and momentum carried him into the other.  The man took a deep breath to shout a warning, but Mato drove a paw into his larynx.  Mato flipped him over the railing, where he floundered briefly.  Suddenly a massive surge of water surrounded the man; he gurgled and sank quickly out of sight.  Mato immediately grabbed the stunned man and tossed him to the same fate.

He moved to the window where the men had been watching, and quickly took in the situation.  Auryon was alive and unharmed so far.  Judging from the wicked blade in the lieutenant's hand and the murderous glare in his eyes, that would not last long.  For her part, Auryon had been holding her own - the lieutenant appeared to have a bloody nose and a black eye.  He also favored his left arm slightly.

Mato opened the door to hear the lieutenant swearing as he lunged toward Auryon.  "You little blue...  I'll cut you into so many pieces, we can feed ten crocs for a week!"

Auryon saw the door open from the corner of her eye, and a brief view of Mato before he stealthed again.  The lieutenant was so intent on his prize that he failed to notice the open door.  The first sign of the uninvited guest came when pain slashed across his chest.  The cat's body hit his legs, the knife clattered away, and his head hit the floor with a ripe thump.

When his eyes were able to focus again, a large horned cat sat on his chest, teeth bared.  The Draenei woman had retrieved his knife and now held it to his throat.

"Careful with that," he gurgled.  "I keep it really sharp.  You don't want to hurt yourself."

She chuckled scornfully.  Then she glanced up at the cat.  "You want to do it, or should I?"

To the man's surprise, the cat replied.  "I have a better idea."

It only took them a few minutes to lash the man to the front of the boat.  They installed and armed the explosive devices, trailing the remote detonators to the rowboat.  Working as quietly as she could, Auryon repositioned the boat so that it pointed directly at the nearby ship.  They retrieved what minor goods they could - Auryon lamented to learn that the men had destroyed her valuable bow.  Mato climbed into the rowboat to keep it steady, while Auryon gunned the boat's engines and then leaped into the rowboat.

On the front of the boat, the lieutenant's eyes bulged as he watched the side planks of the ship rush toward him.  With a sickening crunch, the boat plowed into the larger vessel.  At the same moment, Mato triggered the explosive devices.  A wave of heat and light washed over them.  As the ship burned, they could see crocs and sharks thrashing around it, finishing off the dying men.  Then, they drifted in the rowboat, lying quietly in one another's arms.

Eventually, the tiny boat struck solid ground as the sun was rising.  According to Mato's estimate they had bypassed Theramore, drifting north to the boundary between the Barrens and Dustwallow Marsh.  They worked their way north, avoiding all contact with others.  Around midday they finally arrived in the tiny town of Ratchet.

Auryon turned stiffly to Mato.  "Well, Tauren, I suppose this is the end," she said in a formal tone, though the tremble in her voice gave away her true emotions.  "Your help has been much appreciated - not sure I would have made it through without you."

Mato smiled, then held up a hand.  "One moment!  There is something in my vault that I want you to have."  He walked over to the nearby bank and returned a moment later carrying a large bow.  "A hunter's weapon is her most treasured possession.  Use this often, and think of me."

Her eyes overflowed with tears as she inspected the beautiful bow.  It appeared to be made of bone, and was quite old.  She started to speak, but he laid his finger on her mouth.  "I know.  But the boat is here, and you need to go."

He stood on the top of the hill and waved until the sail was out of sight.