It wasn’t easy ta get to where we were goin’ to be wed. D’ere was a lot of t’ings d’at needed plannin’ ahead of time, as well as da knowledge d’at we may not be makin’ it off of da boat in as few pieces as we started in.
We started in Hammerfall, ridin’ down to da Menethil ‘arbor. Jumpin’ from da sailors, Hathgrimm, Nazru, Zij an’ I made it on ta da boat in one piece. But d’at wasn’t our concern.
Da ship docked in Auberdine, a place we ‘ad visited befo’, an’ we ran across da dock ta wait fo’ da boat d’at would bring us to our destination: Teldrassil. We knew da guards were strong, an’ fast, an’ d’at we would ‘ave ta outwit d’em. Nazru ran in firs’, distractin’ d’ose he could while da rest of us dove fo’ da portal.
Disoriented, we came out da od’ah side an’ started runnin’ t’rough da night elf city. Dodgin’ everyt’in’ we could, we made it, relatively, into da protection of da trees in one piece. But it wasn’t ovah yet. We ‘eard of a small cave d’at not many elves knew of, an’ began ‘eadin’ d’ere befo’ we noticed we ‘ad a pinkie followin’ us. Splittin’ ways, we ‘id, until da time was right fo’ us ta begin summonin’s to our weddin’.
Hathgrimm ‘ad brought many a tortured soul ta ‘elp us unite our friends in d’is ‘appy occasion. Zij an’ I quickly changed, me wearin’ my weddin’ dress, an’ ‘im in ‘is dashin’ black formal robes, an’ we began ta summon our friends.
Ezrah ‘ad gone t’rough da trouble of gettin’ allowed ta marry us right legal, an’ so as soon as da Tribe arrived (plus Kaylia an’ Sabatai fo’ good measure) da marriage began.
She said all da normal t’ings, I suppose, d’at ju say at a weddin’. But we ‘ad our own customs ta ‘old to as well. So while she was sayin’ da right t’ings, Zij an’ I did what we needed ta to become husband an’ wife. ‘e bit off my finger first, which ‘urt like not’in’ I’ve known, an’ placed da small metal ring on da gushin’ wound. It was enchanted by ‘im ta make it so we could find one anod’ah, no mattah what. We truly be linked now.
It’s embarrassin’, actually, since I couldn’t bite off ‘is. I pierced da skin a bit, but I couldn’t get no further d’en d’at. Imagine ‘ow deep I blushed when ‘e ‘ad ta take out ‘is own knife ta finish da job. But ‘e did, an’ I slipped da ring right inta ‘is wound. Zij is brave, d’ough. Pain like d’at don’t bother ‘im as much.
An’ so after d’at, she said all da legally bindin’ t’ings, an’ Zij an’ I exchanged vows. It was real nice, actually. I t’ink we bot’ worked ‘ard on d’em. I got ‘im some nice gifts, but I couldn’t give it wit’ all da rest. D’ey not fo’ da public eyes. But I got ‘im some nice new rope, stuff d’at won’t be tearin’ too bad at me skin, as well as splurgin’ on a few sexy outfits I know ain’t goin’ ta be on me fo’ mo’ d’en a few seconds. ‘e mentioned somet’in’ about crochless panties, so I got a few pairs made outsidah da Tribe d’at are frilly an’ right soft.
But, I digress. ‘e got me a lovely shrunken ‘eart necklass. It ain’t fo’ daily wear, jus’ somet’in’ special, but I love knowin’ ‘e’s t’inkin’ about me when ‘e rips out da ‘eart of an enemy.
We got lotsa gifts, actually. I’m impressed wit’ da generosity of da Tribe, honestly! I t’ink it would be a disservice ta mention all we got, fo’ fear d’at I forget someone’s gift at d’is late hour!
Zij is gettin’ ready fo’ da weddin’ night, which I’m sure will be mo’ fun d’en I’ll know what ta do wit’, an’ I can’t wait. Even if d’ere was d’at business wit’ betrayal.
I’m a wed woman, I’m now Zij’s in mind, body, an’ by law. I don’t t’ink I evah could ‘ave been ‘appier.
~~
Da weddin’ party turned ta cheers o’ anger an’ blood, war cries for da Burnin’ Tusks an’ da two newly weds. War would be da call o’ da night, blood Zij’s planned tribute in honour o’ da Chieftess an’ dere new wedded bliss!
To up da ante, I, Zij’ilis, da staunch an’ merciless witch doctah, invited outsiders for da first time in our Tribes history ta join us in battle. More blood! My dream was ta provide da Chieftess wit’ a tribute of blood dat would make da old gods shiver!
A personal friend was already dere, Kalyia. She would bring wit’ ‘er a membah o’ her group, da Broken Path. But others were drawn in.
Vile deadies were summoned to da dark cave atop Teldrassil. I was foolish enough ta t’ink a deadie could at least be counted upon ta slay ‘is enemies along our side for one night. I was wrong.
Kovek, da Betrayer. Dat name will be burned forever in da annals o’ da Burnin’ Tusk Tribe. A ragged an’ sickenin’ maggot-breath, immediately upon his arrival he spoke o’ a connection he had inside da Alliance. Spoke of our numbers, how they were “not enough”. Told us of two groups of Alliance already gatherin’ at Auberdine on dere way ta Darnassus. He even knew da names o’ da groups!
He was da only one outside o’ Kalyia and Sabatai, our close friends, dat knew o’ da weddin’. An’ da only one outside our family dat knew da time o’ da raid an’ location before it started.
Earlier dat day he had approached me wit’ an idea of razin’ Alliance cities in retribution. I agreed ta ‘elp, not for da Horde, but for da honour o’ da Tusks! Little did I know ‘is goal was not ta slay da Alliance, but ta slay us both in fruitless battles, engineered by ‘im.
Our group took off, filled wit’ da lust for blood an’ da intoxication o’ bliss! Immediately t’ings grew grim.
Da Betrayer spoke o’ da Alliance. Warned we must be quick before dey arrive. Knew dey were comin’ for us before our positions coulda possibly been noted. Knew dere names! Dey were da same ones he ranted ta me earlier about! When a setback occurred, we believed da foul-breat’ foolishly. He led us to our graves.
Near da gates o’ da Elvish city he took us. Da Alliance were strollin’ by, walkin’ slowly, already waitin’.
Dey outnumbered us three ta one! Da slaughter was complete. My foolish plans o’ tribute were foiled. By bringin’ in da deadies ta ‘elp collect more blood, we only lost more o’ our own.
We retreated, demoralized. Heroes amongst us were many. An’ nary a Tusk was wit’out much bravery. But we stood no chance, an’ talk from all was of fleeing.
Suddenly! Wit’out warnin’ da Alliance left. No such t’ing was heard of before! Some t’ought dat maybe da pinkies an’ dere dogs ‘ad some honour afterall!
At dis time da Betrayer ‘ad broken ranks. Soon he returned to our rallyin’ point wit’ more “news”…
He brought a letter. From da pinkies leader. Why even an alliance fool would be stupid enough ta pass on any valuable information to a lone deadie in a band o’ Tusks united undah da same banner mystified us. But it is obvious ta us now.
More blood ‘ad ta be shed! Da Betrayer saught ta divert us south. He named da spots. He tried ta convince us dey would attack dese unlikely locales an’ dat we should defend. But… funny enough, da Betrayer was right! Dese strange locations did indeed come undah attack!
A setup. An’ a lesson learnt. Da Burnin’ Tusks nevah trust a deadie. An’ for one brief moment dey broke dat rule. But nevah again.
Da Betrayer an’ his friend were expelled. Da Tusks would ‘ave blood! Dolanaar would pay a price for dere scheme! Da Tusks wit’ da help o’ da Broken Path, shed elvish blood in one final act o’ rage.
Tragedy followed bliss. But bliss again shall reign. An’ as I take my new wife an’ Chieftess ta consummate our weddin’, I know dat we will ‘ave revenge. Da forests o’ Northern Kalimdor will turn red wit’ blood. Every leaf will read da story o’ da price o’ trickery against da Tusks. An’ furt’er more… da Betrayer will pay.
Your Horde, T’rall? Pah! Take it. Da Tusks follow dere own bannah! And someday…