((Disclaimer: Mine and Saki's view of last nights events, written with sleep deprived memory; Any issues, inaccuracies, feel free to correct me.
Disclaimer2: She's not dead. I'll write part2 later.))
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"Cannonfire!"
The roar of warning cut across the field of battle too late, punctuating the low rumbling thunder of the ships mortar. Screams rang out as goblin, pirate, and Orc alike were caught in its deadly blast. Cut down and thrown aside. Some had been missed, others fortunate enough to dive aside.
But not all.
"Rageheart, Rageheart, get up..."
Rhonya's voice echoed distantly. The world strangely muffled as if under water. Sakinra reached up, taking the orcess's arm, bracing herself for balance her left leg still caught in its splint, as she hauled herself upright.
"Are you alright?"
The voice so dim and deadened. Blinking, she watched the concern etched in the healers face, Sakinra struggling to focus on the world around her. So many hours had already been poured into patching up the unfortunate warrior.
'That's the eternal battle, you warriors want to be out there helping, while we healers want to get you rested and fit....'
Sakinra nods.
"I'm fine. Go. The others."
She spoke shortly, curtly, the pain bloomed dull and throbbing in her chest. Something was badly wrong...
...her eyes followed Rhonya, settling on the bloodied burned body of another, clinging to life...
... But not as bad as it could be.
Sakinra stumbled over to lend what aid she could. Disguising spluttered coughs and wheezing, as bullets and explosions tore through the air around them, she lifted the younger, smaller Orcess from the sands and carried her away from the field of battle, before leaving her under Rhonya's supervision.
Blood dripped from her shredded ear, as she got close enough to see the tribe. They fought ferociously.
There was a job to be done.
Wheezing for breath, Sakinra steeled herself to speak.
This was a distraction.
"Push on, I'll guard... the wounded."
Guard the wounded? You are the wounded.
Feraleye glanced to her, as his axes found their mark in another pirate. The human spluttering in a bloodied heap with his throat open.
"Your call Rageheart. Rejoin us when you can, we're going to need every one we can get..."
She nodded curtly, not trusting herself to speak. As swiftly as she could, she returned to the injured and Rhonya, putting the barricades between herself and the portside cannons of the ships.
"How... is she?"
Sakinra grimaced, choking on her words. The shaman lifted her hands away from the young Orcess, Pushing herself to stand she looked up to Saki.
"I've done all I can for her here, the rest shall have to wait until we're back at town."
Sakinra nodded. Looking over the females form. Laid in the sands, already her burns were sealed over and beginning to heal.
"Go help the others. I'll call, if needed."
The Shaman hesitated for a moment, before she nodded and left, headed quickly to rejoin the Red Blade as they lived up to their name, carving a bloody path to the ships.
Sakinra looked to her charge. The sounds of battle were still painfully close.
They were exposed here. All it would take was a handful of fleeing pirates. Making a decision she bent down and scooped up the Orcess, murmuring apologies as her 'patient' grimaced in pain, her armour disintegrating and falling abandoned behind.
Never was there a worse nursemaid than you Rageheart.
Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Step.
Progress was slow. The light sand would have made difficult work for her splinted leg in even the best condition, but like this?
What had started as a dull ache of pain has blossomed and bloomed into an inferno of agony raging in her chest. Her arms locked she could barely bring herself to look down at the Orcess in her grip, the unfathomable weight, light enough to begin with, now nearly unbearable, slowing them down.
Drag. Step. Drag.
The beach had never seemed so long, the cave so distant. Wheezing with every breath. The hot, wet, metallic taste accumulated at the back of her throat, splattered inside her faceplate.
She slumped onto her knees, beneath the tree.
Less than forty paces to the cave. Forty paces too far.
Carefully propping up the Orcess against a tree. .
"I'm sorry, you'd rather be out there fighting, with them...."
She spoke softly, quietly. Seeming to Sakinra almost as if she expected a scolding for dragging her away from the field.
Sakinra laughed softly, her face contorted in pain as the laugh morphed into a vicious cough.
She removed her own faceplate hacking blood into the sand. Wiping her blood splattered mouth with the soft palm of her Gauntlets.
"What I want...and what I should do... Are two vastly... Different things..."
"Are...are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Sakinra waved a hand dismissively.
There's no point concerning her. Speaking hurts. Fel, at this point breathing does.
"I miss home...My stories.... I miss... My sister..."
She spoke softly, dreamily. Sakinra dragged herself from her own self pity. She was here to look after the girl.
"Where's home?"
"...Lordaeron..."
The Orcess slumped sideways. Sakinra dove to catch her, trying to prop her against the tree, tapping her face.
"Oh no, no no, no you don't get to go to sleep on me. You were telling me about your home..."
Blinking back to consciousness, she was forced to keep talking, made to chatter vaguely about her home, her family, with Sakinra prompting with questions whenever she fell silent.
The name of 'Emrest' attached itself to something in the Warrioress' mind. But grasping the conversation was becoming harder.
Across the mental link she listened to the panicked shouts of the Tribe.
'Is this moving?'
'Did you feel that,'
'Shit, does anyone know how to drop an anchor on this thing?'
A flicker of concern crossed her face. Help would not be returning soon. Grasping for a topic Sakinra asked the Orcess to tell her what her favourite story had been.
'Emrest' lit up almost instantly.
"It was about a princess, who travelled to a strange and dangerous land, and had adventures so one day she would return as a wise and noble queen... I... I always wanted to be her as a child."
Sakinra laughed softly. The sound once again betraying her into the grasp of another coughing fit. Balling her hand into a fist, she tried to mask the severity into it. Spluttering to a halt.
"Look at you now. Off having adventures in a strange land..."
Sakinra watched as tears brimmed in the Orcess's eyes. Her voice catching.
"But I'm not, I'm not a princess, I'm not having adventures, I just end up needing saving all the time by the tribe..."
Nice going Rageheart.
Sakinra reached and took hold of her shoulders, hushing her.
She's seen so little, and is so afraid...
"Each of us need saving... from time to time...And the Tribe will always be there to.... Sometimes it's just...your turn to be unlucky..."
....there's nothing she could do...
Sakinra smiles briefly. Her speech becoming more laboured as she wheezes, a sick, crackling gargle edged every word.
....She doesn't need to watch this.
"Can you ride?"
"I... I think so..."
Sakinra nodded, whistling sharply.
Her worg ran towards them from out of the cave, where he had been waiting.
"I want you to take him...he'll carry you to Gadgetzan... Keep you safe until they... we... return"
The Orcess climbed into the saddle before looking down to Sakinra.
"What about you?"
Sakinra forced her smile.
"I'll be fine, I'll join the others."
"You promise you'll be alright?"
She nodded grimly. Not able to utter a promise she can't keep.
"Go, it'll be okay, don't worry."
She smoothed a hand through the Worgs fur, before striking its flank.
She watched in silence, as the worg bore its cargo away.
"Ride swiftly..."
In her mind, the voices of the tribe seemed so distant. They were too far to help.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. The eternal, rushing, throbbing hiss, grew slower.
Quieter.
She cleaned her faceplate with the palm of her glove. Carefully refastening it on.
The world swam around her.
Quiet. Almost Peaceful.
She carefully removed her axes, laying them beside her.
The pain in her chest was complete. All consuming. Each coughing fit, each wheezing breath having driven shattered rib and bone deeper into delicate flesh and organs.
Blood pooled and gathered in the lower reaches of her lungs.
Breath shallow.
Patiently she waited, Each moment the pain seemed to matter less.
Pain so complete, but somehow detached from her.
Blood loss taking its toll.
She lay down in the sand, she could feel the blood oozing from her mouth.
Above the stars were clear and bright.
No. She didn't need to watch.
Not when there's nothing to be done. It's better this way.
Without fight.
Without fear.
Sakinra closed her eyes, lips parting, soft, embracing darkness.
"Ancestors welcome me."
Disclaimer2: She's not dead. I'll write part2 later.))
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"Cannonfire!"
The roar of warning cut across the field of battle too late, punctuating the low rumbling thunder of the ships mortar. Screams rang out as goblin, pirate, and Orc alike were caught in its deadly blast. Cut down and thrown aside. Some had been missed, others fortunate enough to dive aside.
But not all.
"Rageheart, Rageheart, get up..."
Rhonya's voice echoed distantly. The world strangely muffled as if under water. Sakinra reached up, taking the orcess's arm, bracing herself for balance her left leg still caught in its splint, as she hauled herself upright.
"Are you alright?"
The voice so dim and deadened. Blinking, she watched the concern etched in the healers face, Sakinra struggling to focus on the world around her. So many hours had already been poured into patching up the unfortunate warrior.
'That's the eternal battle, you warriors want to be out there helping, while we healers want to get you rested and fit....'
Sakinra nods.
"I'm fine. Go. The others."
She spoke shortly, curtly, the pain bloomed dull and throbbing in her chest. Something was badly wrong...
...her eyes followed Rhonya, settling on the bloodied burned body of another, clinging to life...
... But not as bad as it could be.
Sakinra stumbled over to lend what aid she could. Disguising spluttered coughs and wheezing, as bullets and explosions tore through the air around them, she lifted the younger, smaller Orcess from the sands and carried her away from the field of battle, before leaving her under Rhonya's supervision.
Blood dripped from her shredded ear, as she got close enough to see the tribe. They fought ferociously.
There was a job to be done.
Wheezing for breath, Sakinra steeled herself to speak.
This was a distraction.
"Push on, I'll guard... the wounded."
Guard the wounded? You are the wounded.
Feraleye glanced to her, as his axes found their mark in another pirate. The human spluttering in a bloodied heap with his throat open.
"Your call Rageheart. Rejoin us when you can, we're going to need every one we can get..."
She nodded curtly, not trusting herself to speak. As swiftly as she could, she returned to the injured and Rhonya, putting the barricades between herself and the portside cannons of the ships.
"How... is she?"
Sakinra grimaced, choking on her words. The shaman lifted her hands away from the young Orcess, Pushing herself to stand she looked up to Saki.
"I've done all I can for her here, the rest shall have to wait until we're back at town."
Sakinra nodded. Looking over the females form. Laid in the sands, already her burns were sealed over and beginning to heal.
"Go help the others. I'll call, if needed."
The Shaman hesitated for a moment, before she nodded and left, headed quickly to rejoin the Red Blade as they lived up to their name, carving a bloody path to the ships.
Sakinra looked to her charge. The sounds of battle were still painfully close.
They were exposed here. All it would take was a handful of fleeing pirates. Making a decision she bent down and scooped up the Orcess, murmuring apologies as her 'patient' grimaced in pain, her armour disintegrating and falling abandoned behind.
Never was there a worse nursemaid than you Rageheart.
Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Step.
Progress was slow. The light sand would have made difficult work for her splinted leg in even the best condition, but like this?
What had started as a dull ache of pain has blossomed and bloomed into an inferno of agony raging in her chest. Her arms locked she could barely bring herself to look down at the Orcess in her grip, the unfathomable weight, light enough to begin with, now nearly unbearable, slowing them down.
Drag. Step. Drag.
The beach had never seemed so long, the cave so distant. Wheezing with every breath. The hot, wet, metallic taste accumulated at the back of her throat, splattered inside her faceplate.
She slumped onto her knees, beneath the tree.
Less than forty paces to the cave. Forty paces too far.
Carefully propping up the Orcess against a tree. .
"I'm sorry, you'd rather be out there fighting, with them...."
She spoke softly, quietly. Seeming to Sakinra almost as if she expected a scolding for dragging her away from the field.
Sakinra laughed softly, her face contorted in pain as the laugh morphed into a vicious cough.
She removed her own faceplate hacking blood into the sand. Wiping her blood splattered mouth with the soft palm of her Gauntlets.
"What I want...and what I should do... Are two vastly... Different things..."
"Are...are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Sakinra waved a hand dismissively.
There's no point concerning her. Speaking hurts. Fel, at this point breathing does.
"I miss home...My stories.... I miss... My sister..."
She spoke softly, dreamily. Sakinra dragged herself from her own self pity. She was here to look after the girl.
"Where's home?"
"...Lordaeron..."
The Orcess slumped sideways. Sakinra dove to catch her, trying to prop her against the tree, tapping her face.
"Oh no, no no, no you don't get to go to sleep on me. You were telling me about your home..."
Blinking back to consciousness, she was forced to keep talking, made to chatter vaguely about her home, her family, with Sakinra prompting with questions whenever she fell silent.
The name of 'Emrest' attached itself to something in the Warrioress' mind. But grasping the conversation was becoming harder.
Across the mental link she listened to the panicked shouts of the Tribe.
'Is this moving?'
'Did you feel that,'
'Shit, does anyone know how to drop an anchor on this thing?'
A flicker of concern crossed her face. Help would not be returning soon. Grasping for a topic Sakinra asked the Orcess to tell her what her favourite story had been.
'Emrest' lit up almost instantly.
"It was about a princess, who travelled to a strange and dangerous land, and had adventures so one day she would return as a wise and noble queen... I... I always wanted to be her as a child."
Sakinra laughed softly. The sound once again betraying her into the grasp of another coughing fit. Balling her hand into a fist, she tried to mask the severity into it. Spluttering to a halt.
"Look at you now. Off having adventures in a strange land..."
Sakinra watched as tears brimmed in the Orcess's eyes. Her voice catching.
"But I'm not, I'm not a princess, I'm not having adventures, I just end up needing saving all the time by the tribe..."
Nice going Rageheart.
Sakinra reached and took hold of her shoulders, hushing her.
She's seen so little, and is so afraid...
"Each of us need saving... from time to time...And the Tribe will always be there to.... Sometimes it's just...your turn to be unlucky..."
....there's nothing she could do...
Sakinra smiles briefly. Her speech becoming more laboured as she wheezes, a sick, crackling gargle edged every word.
....She doesn't need to watch this.
"Can you ride?"
"I... I think so..."
Sakinra nodded, whistling sharply.
Her worg ran towards them from out of the cave, where he had been waiting.
"I want you to take him...he'll carry you to Gadgetzan... Keep you safe until they... we... return"
The Orcess climbed into the saddle before looking down to Sakinra.
"What about you?"
Sakinra forced her smile.
"I'll be fine, I'll join the others."
"You promise you'll be alright?"
She nodded grimly. Not able to utter a promise she can't keep.
"Go, it'll be okay, don't worry."
She smoothed a hand through the Worgs fur, before striking its flank.
She watched in silence, as the worg bore its cargo away.
"Ride swiftly..."
In her mind, the voices of the tribe seemed so distant. They were too far to help.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. The eternal, rushing, throbbing hiss, grew slower.
Quieter.
She cleaned her faceplate with the palm of her glove. Carefully refastening it on.
The world swam around her.
Quiet. Almost Peaceful.
She carefully removed her axes, laying them beside her.
The pain in her chest was complete. All consuming. Each coughing fit, each wheezing breath having driven shattered rib and bone deeper into delicate flesh and organs.
Blood pooled and gathered in the lower reaches of her lungs.
Breath shallow.
Patiently she waited, Each moment the pain seemed to matter less.
Pain so complete, but somehow detached from her.
Blood loss taking its toll.
She lay down in the sand, she could feel the blood oozing from her mouth.
Above the stars were clear and bright.
No. She didn't need to watch.
Not when there's nothing to be done. It's better this way.
Without fight.
Without fear.
Sakinra closed her eyes, lips parting, soft, embracing darkness.
"Ancestors welcome me."