Waiting for a War.

[Holyssa]

The zeppelin towers of Tirisfal had been bustling with activity recently. Dozens of the Undercity's finest, as well as Horde from all walks of life, gathered at the base of the tower, sleeping bags and tents pitched, awaiting the arrival of the first flight to the Howling Fjord. The night was dead silent, with only the snoring of soldiers, clanging of sparring partners by the Undercity gates, and nervous chuckles of the bloodthirsty troops just barely drowning out the unrest of the owls and dusk bats.

Atop the tower, two elves sat perched on the edge of the wooden dock among a small crowd of people who preferred the cover of stars & moonlight to tree shadows and tent shading. The shorter of the two was reading over an advertising flier while seated atop her shield, eyes constantly glancing over the makeshift map leading to Vengeance Landing where potential troops were to await further instructions, a rather stuffed backpack laid to her side. The other was a leather-clad girl, younger in years compared to the Blood Knight, yet oddly enough - just a foot taller or so in height. She decided to break the silence after spending much of her time drawing odd scratches and pictures into the wooden floorboard with her freshly-cleaned claw weapon...

"You really think this is going to be a success? I mean, maybe we should have done this a long time ago."

Without looking up from the flier, Holyssa merely replied with a calm "...uh huh."

C: "...by the Sun I'm starved. There any more of those Chimera chops left?"

H: "...uh huh."

C: "Left pouch or right?"

H: "...left."

C: *mouth full of food* "MRPHLHL! WHFRL BN FFHR HRF!"

H: "Chew your damned food. You'll make the guards vomit talking like that."

C: *swallows down the chunk of grilled chops hurriedly* "Sorry...and where are those blasted zeppelin? It's been four hours!" *she holds up a gnomish silver pocket watch dangling from a chain draped around her left wrist*

H: "...yep."

C: "You're still thinking of Hikoria, aren't you? No wonder you've been so quiet."

The Blood Knight finally folded up the flier into a small rectangle, tucking it into an open pouch on her side pack.

Less than a week after the Scourge attacked Tranquillien, Holyssa lost the little sister that meant more to her than anything in this world, despite her direct order to stay in Silvermoon where it was somewhat safe. Hikoria insisted on being by the Blood Knight's side at all costs. But during one such skirmish brought upon the small town by the undead, a stray arrow pierced the girl's throat. A week later, Holy was to pay respects to her family's tomb...but Hikoria's body was not to be found. The doctors who removed the arrow desicovered that it was coated with a fresh batch of the plague. It not only ended one life, but it's infested tip would start the clock for one that was bound for destruction and endless suffering as a Death Knight of the Lich King, or possibly something worse.

"I've let go of the little girl I once loved so much. If she's waiting to strike me down on those shores, then I will do what must be done to set her free."

Cresalia cocked her head to one side, wondering if Holy was hiding any pressure or second thoughts involving her lost loved one, and whatever battle may await them both.

"If the plague is as potent as the apothecaries say, then her mind and body are all but a crumbling shell."

"That's not totally true! What about our own zombi-"

A Forsaken Deathguard glares at the rogue from the corner of his chain mail cowl, giving the rogue a lengthy sneer before she can finish.

"-err...Forsaken allies?"

"A great power beyond anything else gave them their chance. And when this zepplin arrives, it will be their greatest hour. Whether or not the same could happen in the Roof of the World to those who grovel at the Lich King's feet is not for us to really know. At least not yet. Perhaps with the Sunwell flourishing anew, we may be able to make a difference against more than just demons and mad cultists from the beyond."

Within the hour, the first of what would be countless round trips to the cold north arrived at port. Soldiers scrambled awake to gain a spot on the frost-coated vessel, while the Deathguards escorted troops below deck in pairs, quickly counting their number before reaching the zeppelin's full weight capacity. The pair sat below deck, a clear view of the Tirisfal skyline stretched before them as they looked over the rear balcony.

The rogue sat down Indian-style beside Holyssa, who was resting against the ship, eyes closed as the last bits of Lordaeron's cool musty air filled her nostrils for what could be a very long time. Squinting her eyes at a rather massive object drifting swiftly over the East Plaguelands, she tugged at the Blood Knight's black blouse.

"Holy, why is there a boulder in the sky?"

She pointed Holy in the direction of the object, just out of plain sight. With a sigh, the Blood Knight reached into her pocket, pulling out a gold-lined spyglass, peering at the "boulder".

Only this boulder turned out to be a Necropolis, far bigger than the one which once loomed over the woods far east of the Forsaken capitol, steadily drifting in the direction of Tyr's Hand.

"Whoa...where did--"

Her shocked whisper was quickly cut off by a goblin pilot bellowing into the topside war horn:

"ALL ABOARD! NOW LIFTING OFF FOR THE HOWLING FJORD!"

It did not take long for the pair to drift into light sleep as the zeppelin drifted towards it's destination...although Holyssa could not help but wonder just what sort of horrors dwelled within the floating atrocity she had spotted the night before...