Silvermoon Guardians

Here it is - The second installment of the forum event that everyone loves the chain story. This one will run for 2 weeks, keep writing and write often.

Rules:
1) You are not allowed to post consecutively (someone else must post before you
can again).
2) Each paragraph should either develop existing story lines or bring in new
material.
3) Posts can not be edited, what you write the first time is they way it will be.
4) Most importantly - Have fun

Get Creative!

The leaves rustled slightly as Herios parted the branches. It was a quiet sound, audible only to the sensitive elven ears and the Hunter smiled faintly to himself, fully aware that his prey was oblivious to his presence. His left hand dove deeply in the bushy fur of his pet nighsaber - Stealth - rubbing the animal reassuringly on the neck to prevent him from charging ahead.

Ahead of the duo, planted unelegantly on the clearing near his wolf mount was Gruuk... the sole reason for his search and the target of Herios' ambition - his prey. He tracked him here all the way from Sylvanaar, where the monster has intercepted an important message destined for the Alliance command in Stormwind. The elders panicked at the loss and sent Herios to retrieve it. The Hunter went. And now, here they were. Sitting down like a wooden log the orc would be an easy kill. His massive axe was laying down by his side and his mount was upwind, concealing the elf's scent.

Rising the right corner of his mouth in a loopsided smile, the elf looked twenty paces past the giant tree at the flank, where Hryl, the human mage was standing to help. Getting a nod in return, he calmly pulled an arrow from his side quiver, loaded it into his bow and raised it to his eye, aiming for the orc's neck.

It would be an easy kill...

And in a blink of an eye, it all went to hell.

The first thing Herios felt was the spasm in his right arm, as if some great force grabbed him and clamped down on his muscles. Confusion filled his mind and the arrow dropped harmlessly to the ground. He tried to yell for Hryl, but his throat refused to function. To his horror, he saw his pet Stealth sound asleep at his feet.

It was out of the corner of his eye that the Hunter spotted an undead rogue behind him and a blunt object that must have just hit him in the head. On the clearing ahead, Gruuk - the orc - was gone.

An ambush!

Dammit!

There was only one way out of it. The battle was on...

Nuraa and I had been quietly patrolling the beautiful Elven woods around Sylvanaar for several hours. After the battle at Stormwind, the Alliance generals had sent much of our academy to both learn from, and provide assistance to our Night Elf allies.
I was trying to be as quiet as possible, but the trees and undergrowth were unfamiliar to me. Strange plants snagged at my clothing, and thin vines that should quietly let me pass by would snap loudly. After a bit my stealth improved somewhat, although Nuraa said I made as much noise as an Elekk, whatever that was.
Suddenly an orc rogue burst from the undergrowth, his eyes rolling wildly in fear. A huge Voidwalker was chasing him, and several bolts of pure evil shadow energy chased him down. A warlock came forward pursuing the rogue. Noticing me out of the corner of his eye he shouted "By Gruul's knobby knees I hate rogues! Every time I fight one I get a bloody nose...must be allergic." Turning he pointed back where he had come from, "Quickly assist my comrades, you'll find Hrul tending to Herios just ahead. Quickly, quickly, and close your mouth, you're catching flies." And then he was gone, continuing the chase.
I hurried to where the 'lock had pointed.

Where the hell did this warlock come from? And who was he? Herios had no time to debate the issue but he did make a mental note to pursue it later. With his head still spinning and his bow hand in spasmic pain, he looked around lethargically, trying to catch his bearing. Last thing he knew for sure he was on the ground, laying down, ambushed and beaten by an invisible rogue who was about to finish him off when a warlock came out of the blue and with a spell that can only be described as the most uncomfortable inferno made the assailant vanish and run away. But then the warlock too vanished, most likely in pursuit, leaving Herios - the intended hero of this engagement - stunned and alone.

"If you keep moving like that, I won't be able to check your wounds," Hryl said dryly, kneeling next to the elf with a large bandage that look suspiciously a hundred years old.

"Is that even sterile?" Herios found himself asking... his voice like a distant sound over the humming in his head.

"Heck if I know. But your arm is bleeding and that's all we have," the mage begun his clumsy first aid and added, "Let's hurry. They may be back. What in Oblivion happened?"

As if to add to the confusion, the leaves rustled behind the pair and a young female draenei emerged from behind them, accompanied by a heavily armed dwarf. Herios looked at them for a moment, straining on his forehead to forumlate the right question to ask and finally giving up. He threw his head back on the grass.