The Keep

They weren’t the only one with vibrant dreams that night, however. Thrall sat bolt up in his bed, panting heavily, large beads of sweat rolling down over his forehead. Turning to place his feet on the ground, he brought his powerful hands up to his head, struggling to catch his breath.

He walked slowly out of his tent, moving quietly into his closest friend, Grom Hellscream’s. Even the slightest disruption of the quiet caused Grom to open his glowing eyes, anticipation of a battle on the Warsong Chieftain’s face.

“Thrall, why are you here at such an hour. The sun has not yet risen,” he spoke quietly, his voice deep with sleep.

Thrall stood before him, pacing back and forth and retelling the vision he had of armies, fire, and the terrible warning of things to come.

“The voice was a prophet, I know it. He said he wasn’t what he seemed, but that he wants to help the orcs, that our only option was to move to a place called Kalimdor, across the Great Sea,” Thrall spoke reasonably, his voice steady and sure.

Grom looked at him, stunned, as he listened, running his hand through his dark, thick hair. “You’re sure it was a vision?” he asked, his throat cleared slightly of the heavy sleep feeling.

Thrall just nodded in response, watching the older orc carefully.

“Then we move the orcs to… wherever your vision means to send you,” he nodded, standing up and already preparing to move, his voice indicating that conversation was over.

~~

Grot moved slightly in his sleep, opening his bleary eyes and looking around. The sun had risen recently and the chirping of birds could be heard. The clusters of fires were nothing but ashes, small amounts of smoke still rising from some of them. He sat up and gently moved Kali off his side, resting a bag beneath her head and smiling as she clutched her fingers into it, mumbling softly in her sleep. He lightly rested his hand on her hair, rubbing it softly, watching the sisters as they instinctively moved to be closer to one another for the heat. It had been so long since they had been around other orcs, over a dozen years since they left, and in that time they had grown so much.

He loved the two girls, wanting nothing more than to protect them and keep them from harm. Moving his head down, he kissed each of their cheeks softly, standing and dusting himself off, looking around. Figuring he’d surprise them with a bit of food, he grabbed his skinning knife and fishing pole, and set out in the fresh morning air, humming softly to himself.

Sitting down next to a small pond, he expertly baited his pole, remembering the way Kali had taught him to put the beetle on without it squirming too much, dipping it into the water and relaxing as he waited for one of the tiny, bright fish to bite. Since he had heard of the elements returning to the orcs… or rather, a couple of orcs, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking of it. His dreams had been filled that night with swirling colours of the elements, caressing him and giving him the power to heal and protect his two friends, to take care of them as they journeyed. They were both destined for great things, he knew, and he would protect them on their way. He, too, would work to regain the trust of the elements.