Winds of Change

[Huato]

After seeing Volonazra off through the Dark Portal, Huato returned to the camp Clan Skullcrusher called home. There was an eerie calm over the camp after the events that had transpired, and it was odd for the place to be so quiet. There was almost always two or more Crushers dueling for the heck of it or fighting over the remnants of a humie or night elf, but not tonight. Volonazra's tower stood empty and silent in the middle of the camp, and Huato paused in front of it and looked up to where Vol used to go to study and reflect and wondered how soon that tower would be filled with a new chief...he knew it would be soon, and that whomever took over would have his and Zuato's full support, even to death if need be.

After a few moments of staring blankly at the tower, he moved on to his teepee. As usual, Uglutz had left him a 'gift' in front of it. This time it appeared to be the mangled and charred remains of a dwarf and a gnome. Oddly they were still smoldering, so he couldn't be too far gone. He thought about trying to hunt him down and thank him appropriately for the mess, but discarded the idea. The orc would be back around and then he could thank him. After clearing the entrance, Huato entered his teepee, unstrapped his armor, and set his weapons aside. Looking at the back of the teepee set some of the weapons he had crafted ages ago. Some he hadn't touched since seeking the training of one of Thunder Bluff's Shaman trainers - his Hammer of the Titans. It had been too long since he had hefted the hammer in battle. Far too long. Huato walked to the back and lifted the hammer up and admired the craftsmanship. He was still amazed that he was able to mold and shape metal into something so brutal yet fascinating in appearance. He noticed that the leather he had wrapped around the handle had started to work its way loose, so he sat down and began restitiching it.

As he sat restitching the leather it occurred to him that Zuato had come a long way with his studies as a Druid, and that he had become a far more adept healer than he could ever be. "Me thinks its time to allow Zuato to heal the Crushers an for me ta go back to da Shaman masters an relearn me skills wid dis hammer" Huato thought outloud. He longed to crush the Alliance and the enemies of the Horde with his creations.

He had come far with his studies of the elements, something that he developed young in life and caused his parents to send him to train in the ways of the Shaman. "With me new mastery ob da elements, an wid me hammer, me kin crush all dat oppose us" he muttered silently. "It be time ta craft a new clomper too. Dis one hit hard, but me want one dat hit harder dat come from me own hooves. One dat will strike fear on site of the beast!"

Huato knew that everything he and the Crushers could muster would be needed. They had been pushing towards killing the great fire elemental Ragnaros, and that was going to be a major battle to bring him down.

Typically anyone that was an enemy of Huato's enemies was a friend, but this Nefarion...what he was doing to the dragonkin was appaling enough, but for him to openly support and prop up Rend Blackhand as the warchief was too much. Huato knew that he would need to be eliminated too, along with his sister Onyxia.

Then there was the growing arrogance of the Alliance and their attacks on Thunder Bluff and the Under City. This filth needs to learn not to mess with the Horde!

With that he left a note posted on his teepee as he packed his bags and slid his Hammer of the Titans onto his back. It read:

Crushers!

Me gone to hunt fer items me be needin' to make a new clomper so dat we may take down our foes. If latz be needin' me, send word through da spirits or through me brudder Zuato. Me be der ta help wid anything latz needs.

Tell Uglutz dat he be a liddle panzie an dat me be bringin' back a gift fer him too!

Huato

[Maube]

Maube stood staring at the Dark Portal for a while after the crowd had departed. For once, a gathering of the Crushers had not ended itself in bloodshed. Disheartened, the Clan returned to Camp to nurse old wounds, tell old stories and think about the future.

Volonazra had been a mentor to her. From the first day he had watched her stumble around in the Crossroads, to the day she had mastered her most powerful spells. The Chief watched her, supported her, championed her... and gave her a place in the Crushers that was a place of Honor... an Elder.

She watched her own race go from being sneered at... to being respecced... but not without the support from her fellows... Huato, Muru, Morgh, Rhoach, Haq... and later Gordantell and Uglutz... all those who helped her on her path... with Chief Volonazra always waiting in the shadows, like a benevolant spirit wanting her to suceed.

And Succeed she did... with the help of her brothers and sisters... she had helped mold the Crushers... found new blood... even found a Troll to be her warden... all for the glory of the Crushers...

Volonazra was proud. He still would be. Pondering on the fate of the Clan, the mage made her way back to camp, skirting wide around the Demons that were attracted to the Dark Portal and it's swirling energies.

Two names had been on the Chieftan's lips as he whispered his final instructions. Two stood ready to stand for the Clan. And one, Maube headed to now. Threading her way among the fires and tents in Camp, Maube came to the familiar Tauren construction.

"Shaman's and their totems" Maube chuckled to herself as the spirits of nature swirled around her, making sure she was friend. A carcass was lain before the tentflap, Maube glanced at it before a flicker of parchment caught her attention.

Reading, Maube chuckled. "I will never understand these Shaman's and their Spirit Quests... But Maybe that no good brother of his is around..."

Maube shook out her sleeves and glanced around at the Somber campsite... "No matter who becomes Chief... we are Skullcrushers... and we will prepare for Volonazra's return."

Eyes flickering once more over the note on Huato's tent, Maube shrugged and went to find Zuato and Uglutz... she had saved a bottle of Booty Bay's finest, and she intended to celebrate this night... For the Horde.

[Houli]

In the wake of Volonazra's departure, Haq too felt the winds of change. The winds however felt heavy and despairing. Haq had regrets.

The final departure was missed. The last image of Vol' Haq now holds is him spreading his wisdom to the Clan at the inn of Splintertree Post.

Time spent with the Chieftan and the Clan was just to little. The lust for the blood of the enemies consumed him for many months, revenge always seems to be bittersweet.

With the news of Volonazra's departure, Haq resorted to solitude and meditation. Perhaps one day he will be able to prove his worth, to make up for any short-comings. Communication with the clan, and his warden Harne will prove useful certainly. Haq above all hopes to reinforce the values of the departed chieftan, let us not forget.

But hope remains, Times of change are exciting and Haq knows this. Time will tell a tale of grand adventures, glory, and honor for him and the 'Crushers alike!

[Chrysalia]

Chrysalia sat alone outside her tent in the Crusher camp, cooking up a freshly killed raptor that was unfortunate enough to have tried to attack her on her way into camp.

"Surry lil one, ye'll nevah become a ridin rapta. Yer not gnome but ye'll do fer dinnah tonight"

As she prepared the meat, she sat in quiet contemplation thinking of when she first met the Skullcrushers, defending Warsong Gulch, and later Arathi Basin from the wealthy alliance opressors.

"Ah dose were de days werent dey." she sighed, and stared into the sky, deep in thought.

Long since passed it seemed, were the days when they had defended Horde territory together. Some of the old ones were still around, but most had faded away in favor of adventures in the Spire of the Blackrock Orks, the old Necromancer school in the Plaguelands, or the ruined city of the Humans near Lights Hope Chapel, where the effects of the plague were most obvious, and the battle between the Sacrlet Crusade and the Scourge raged on.

She was snapped back to reality when an awful smell met her nose.

An Ork was walking by with a smoking, stinking mass of what appeared to be meat on his shoulder. Was that a boot she saw in that mess? She sniffed the air.

"Smells like ruddy Dorf"

She shuddered at the thought, "Gah dorf meat be too sour and tough fer eatin, should tell 'im to make jerky out of it", she muttered, sniffed again "and Gnomeling!"

Too bad he had'nt come closer perhaps she could have traded this nice raptor hide for some tender gnome meat.

Moments later the Ork returned the way he came, closer this time than before, she could make out that it was old Uglutz. She raised her hand to him "Ug" she called.

"Ug dere olog! Me no ken blah now!" He said in passing and went on his way.

This too often seemed the way with the clan, as with most clans. Everyone coming and going, going about their business, not having or taking the time to stop and blah with clansman. Even in battles, she would see Crushers, and they dont take the time to wave or nod. All too wrapped up in the heat of battle she supposed.

"Always rushin somwere it seems, dese ones." she thought.

Moments later she watched as Huato entered the camp, walking slowly and deliberatly, stopped to survey the Cheiftan's tower for a few moments, and then moved towards his hut on the other side of the camp.

"Now what he be up to ah wonder." She thought about walking over to his hut and finding out, but the events of the day had her tired and she just wanted to eat, smoke, and relax.

As she threw the last pieces of raptor into her stew, she spied Huato on his way out of camp, with an enormous hammer on his back.

"Mah goodness but dose Taurens ken wield such mighty weapuns. Wunder where he's off to. Alterac maybe?" She hoped that was the case. All too soon she would be there defending the Frostwolf again. "Ah cud use one such as him wit me in dere".

She stirred her concoction, and the scent of cooked raptor wafted from it.

"Mmm smells delishus, ah guess it was a gud ting dis one was dum, eh wuz ment ta be mah dinnah".

She looked up from her fire in time to noticed her mentor, the deaddie Maube, ride into camp and head the way the last two had gone.

"Jes what be goin on ovah dea?" she wondered aloud.

She decided she would go and see for herself after her dinner was eaten. She took the bubbling pot from the fire, scooped some out into her handmade bowl, and turned to watch the sun set over Durotar. "Ah but ah do love it here, in dis place", she sighed in contentment.

Although she did'nt see her Crusher brethren as often anymore, only in passing somedays on one of the battlefields, she still felt at peace with her place here. They were slowly making their way deeper into the core together, becoming stronger every time, finding artifacts of great power to aid them on their respective quests. Huato himself had been leading them into the lair of the fould Wurm Onyxia, and although they had not bested her yet, they would do so soon.

"Your day is coming dragon!" She yelled aloud, startling off some hyenas that had wandered her way in hopes of some scraps from her meal.

Everyday they were finding new wayward souls, lost in the fray, bringing them into the Clan and teaching them the way of the Skullcrusher.

"No matta, we will choose a new cheef, an' will make yu proud Volonazra!"

"FOR THRALL, FOR THE HORDE, FOR THE SKULLCRUSHERS!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

She turned, wondering if Maube had not left camp, she looked around and saw that her mount was still tethered outside.

"Ah think ah'll go find the old deadie, she always has da good drinkies. Mebbe ah'll go borrow a lil peece of dat charred gnomeling from Uglutz too, he won mind"

She smiled at the thought of a good drink with her old friends, and made her way through camp.