Maralah paced the tent with worry, glancing now and then at Shirul, the Shaman Legate, who was carfully avoiding her eyes. Nariko was late. It was bad enough that Maralah wasn’t able to object to Nariko going on a solo hunt, even worse that she suspected her daughter of going after Mingan, but for her to be three days late? The Hunter alpha was either unconcerned or hid it well. Hunters went on hunts, hunters came back late... it was the way of the Hunter Tribe.
But this was Maralah’s daughter, a daughter with the bloodthirsty father out to get her, this was different! Over the months the Pack had heard nothing from or about Mingan. Nariko had grown increasingly agitated since learning the truth about her father. Tocho had become increasingly quiet on the subject. Two of the Pack had been personally threatened by Mingan, the Pack wanted Blood and had yet to be sated.
Each member of the Pack watched for Maralah’s estranged husband, and no one left Nariko alone for long. But it had been so long now, almost everyone had relaxed in their vigilance. Maralah, Nariko and Tocho were some of the few who continued to watch, and now Nariko was late.
“It’s only been three days, Maralah,” Shirul said, probably trying to calm her. “She may have gone farther then she’d intended, maybe she or her companion were injured and so were slowed,” Shirul winced when he realized what he had said.
“No,” Maralah exclaimed, more forcefully than she intended, “No, I feel it… something is wrong. Where is Khaz anyway?” The two of them turned when Khazrikieh, the Water Seer, entered the tent as if on cue. “Khaz, what have you Seen? What have you learned?” there was a note of desperation in Maralah’s voice.
Khazrikieh looked grim and gestured for Maralah to join him at the fire. When Maralah sat next to him, the troll took a deep breath and glanced at Shirul before looking back at Maralah, “she’s being shielded.”
The silence that followed hung in the air awkwardly until Khazrikieh could feel Maralah bristle with some of her brother’s temper. “What I mean ta say is… while I can’t see her directly, I know where her trail went cold and just the fact that someone is blocking me doesn’t bode well.” At the shaman’s admission Maralah worked her fist trying to control her rage and fear.
Shirul turned a slightly paler shade of blue, “I’ll tell Onatam, we’ll put together a search party.” The usually jovial troll paused at the entrance of the tent, “And… I think I’ll pay a visit to the Earth Shaman, maybe the two of us working together...”
Now alone with Maralah, Khazrikieh seemed a little uncomfortable. The Den Mother couldn’t help but soften and smile at him assuming her own agitation was the cause for his discomfort. “Remember the day we met, Khaz? It seems so long ago… and here you are now, Elder of Sight, Water Seer, and acting Alpha of the Shaman Tribe. So much has changed.”
Khazrikieh shifted position and half-smiled, “yes… much has changed, and yet much remains the same.” Quickly changing the subject, Khazrikieh continued, “When will our next Council with the Bear Spirit take place? Perhaps he has a way of locating Nariko.” Somehow Khazrikieh seemed desperate and yet unconvinced at the same time. Briefly Maralah wondered if there was something more between Khazrikieh and Nariko. She’s a big girl, and she could do worse than Khaz.
“I’m not sure. Tocho has been close lipped regarding Artan lately… but you know as well as I do that your Tribe is better equipped to find Nariko than Artan.” Maralah stood, preparing to leave, “please keep trying I’m going to join the search.”
~
“What do you mean I can’t go?” Maralah was furious but Demelza, Hunter Alpha and Elder of the Path, wouldn’t budge.
“Maralah, you are a decent tracker but you won’t be much use to us out there and you know it.” Demelza’s deep tauren voice remained even and calm in the face of her fellow Elder’s building rage. “You’re too close to this, we’ll contact you if… when we find some sign of her.” Without waiting for a response, hoping logic would win out in Maralah’s mind, Demelza turned and joined the rest of the search.
~
How many search parties, how many disheartening reports? How many months had it been since that first disastrous search? Onatam led the group from Splintertree Post to Nariko’s last known location, only to encounter a roaming band of Alliance, mostly elven. The Pack was more interested in focusing on the search but the bloodthirsty elves had attacked. There were heavy losses on both sides. Onatam captured one of their tabards and learned they called themselves, “Clan Red Hand” no doubt due to continued blood on their hands.
Since then the Portal opened; Blood Elves joined the ranks of the Horde, petitioned to join Pack Spirit and were denied. Since that day Artan, the Pack’s Spirit guide, mysteriously stopped manifesting; and the Pack united at each Tribe’s place of power to bolster Artan.
It seemed like years had gone by, but really it was only months. Months in which Maralah lost more and more hope that she would ever see her daughter alive again.
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