Altyra laid on their ground blanket, staring up at the wide open sky and the stars that littered it. The warm body beside her was deep in sleep, currently in bear form to help keep her warm. She smiled at Kutazi, running her fingers through his fur and then slowly looking back to the sky. They were almost back to Sen'jin. Another day or so of travel and they'd be back amongst the trolls...amongst society. Kutazi claimed the trolls would be the most laid back about their relationship, and she had to agree. They usually were...unless you were dealing with some of the elf haters and purists...and EVERY society had their purists. But it was definitely better than going back to Silvermoon on a troll's arm and expecting people to suck it up.
She shook her head slightly, rolling onto her side and snuggling into the massive body beside her. Kutazi shifted in his sleep, one large arm flopping over her automatically. She smiled, letting herself begin to drift to sleep.
The next few days passed in a daze. They rode through terrain that looked the same all around, with only minor variations in the distant hills to make it more interesting. Razor Hill was barely a blip on the radar by the time they reached it. They stayed the night in the inn after having a real meal, and the next morning proceeded to Sen'jin.
Altyra took a deep breath as they approached the troll village, noting the flags for the Silvermoon emissaries and frowning faintly. She knew she was no longer a Farstrider, knew all about what had occurred with Saeyira and Azrikk...but would she still be greeted. Would they even care? Or would she be left alone and to linger amongst the trolls as she pleased.
They were hailed by Kutazi's former teacher and pseudo-father Ja'Kooli as they entered the camp, and Altyra fought not to wrinkle her nose. The bokor freaked her out, and after spending a night at his home in the Barrens (since he wasn't there and Kutazi claimed it would be okay) she was even more freaked out by him. Nothing really gave her nightmares like talking shrunken heads who sexually harassed her...no matter what Kutazi did to shut them up.
"Likkle 'un! Ja be back!"
Altyra watched as Kutazi was drawn away, sliding out of her saddle and walking forward slowly, only then realizing she had no idea where to go. Did she approach the Silvermoon emissaries and the Farstriders that were here? Did she let them approach her when they heard the news? Would they even bother? So many questions roiled through her mind.
As though in answer to them, an elf stepped out of the Silvermoon hut, glancing around the camp and spying her. Lan'orin, the Farstrider leader who'd been sent to Sen'jin. She frowned as he began walking toward her, slowly guiding her hawkstrider in his direction, though uncertain.
"Dawnracer." He said, clipping her name off like it had a bad taste. "You've been discharged from the Farstriders according to Silvermoon law, due to your...sister's actions." He practically sneered the word sister, looking disgusted by the thought of sharing blood with someone like Saeyira Dawnracer. Altyra eyed him quietly, frowning at his attitude and the way he thought of her family. "You have no place here, so you may as well be on your way. Go find a hovel in Orgrimmar or something befitting your status."
Altyra arched an eyebrow at him, and slowly an amused but perhaps unsettling grin spread across her lips. "No."
"Excuse me?" Lan'orin looked genuinely shocked. He wasn't accustomed to being told no, but he didn't command her now...she was going to revel in getting him as irritated and uncomfortable as possible.
"No. Since I'm not a Farstrider anymore you have no command over me. I'm no longer here as an emissary of Silvermoon."
"Then why stay?"
"Because it will irritate you." And because my mate is here. But she was waiting to drop that bomb and watch Lan'orin squirm at that idea. Better to do this one step at a time than use all her weapons at once.
"You need to leave. You will just ruin our diplomatic communications." Lan'orin puffed up his chest, looking as big and important as he could. Altyra arched an eyebrow at him.
"You do that well enough on your own." She shrugged. "Not to mention, it's awfully sad that we still require emissaries to Sen'jin now that we've been part of the Horde for so long." She shook her head, turning on her heel and leading her hawkstrider away from the irritating man.
"If you mess up any of my carefully laid ou-"
Altyra turned on him with a dark look. "I am going to find my lover and get settled in at his hut. If you don't shut up I'm going to shoot you with an arrow. I'm not part of the Farstriders anymore. You cannot and will not dictate where I go, who I talk to, or anything else of that nature. If I'm not a Farstrider and not a Silvermoon citizen anymore, then you need to shut your fat mouth and go back inside your hut. You're probably doing more harm than good here, anyway."
Someone behind her snickered and then applauded, stepping forward from the shadow of a nearby hut. "Ju got sense, ju do." Akeena grinned wolfishly at Altyra, stepping forward to clap her on the shoulder. "Ju short, but ju got guts. I like dat." Altyra turned to and looked up at the woman, giving her a tight-lipped smile and shrugging.
"I learned a lot between here and Moonglade."
"I can see dat. Unfortunate 'bout ju sista', but den maybe a blessin'."
Lan'orin sputtered beside Altyra, glaring furiously. Altyra ignored him. "I'm thinking it's a blessing, too. Certainly makes my life easier."
Akeena's smile widened even more and she nodded a couple of times. "Ya, ya. So ju shackin' up with a troll now, eh?" She asked, dropping an arm over Altyra's shoulder like they were old friends and turned her away from Lan'orin. They walked a ways before Akeena stopped, turning to look at her, face going a little solemn. "What'chu playin' at, elfie girl?"
Altyra canted her head to the side. "Playing at? I'm not playing at anything."
"Ju leave dis place all stiff around trolls much as any otha' elf. Now ju actin' like we betta' than those elfies ju come 'ere with. What's ju game?"
"I'm not playing a game. Kutazi changed my mind...about a lot of things." Altyra rested her hands on her hips, staring the woman down until she looked away. "If I were playing a game, it would be a lot more obvious. I'm not good at them. My sisters were the tricksters." She sighed. "Now if you'll excuse me." She began to walk away, footsteps quiet in the sandy earth.
Akeena caught up to her. "A'right, a'right. I had ta check. Dat's all. Wanna make sure ju got a good reason for tyin' dat un up in knots." Akeena held out a sealed letter, the parchment creamy white and heavy like something from Silvermoon. "Dis is for ju. Lan'orin didn't wanna deliver it, so he asked me to."
Altyra took the letter and glanced at the seal, frowning. It was foreign to her. "My thanks. I'll speak with you tomorrow about joining the Sen'jin patrols." She smiled at the troll woman, who grinned and nodded back before turning and walking away. Altyra's eyes moved back to the letter and she headed in the direction of Kutazi's hut, walking slowly and using the fading daylight and the light of torches to read by.
Altyra,
I'm coming for you all. Soon. I can't wait to see you again. Maybe this time you won't be so quick to drive me off.
-L
She frowned, crumpling the paper and tossing it in a fire as she passed. She slipped into Kutazi's hut quietly and found him already laying down, waiting. She smiled, moving to join him.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his tone of voice slightly worried.
"That's a long story to tell tonight. Tomorrow...when we're both rested."
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