A Raven’s Trial pt 1

[Karnna]

Karnna looked out across Alterac with a forlorn sigh, The clear sky allowed her a beautiful view of the valley stretching out in front of her.

She had forgotten how long she had been home for yet still she felt very alone. She returned with her brother Zarok and his friends after they had been captured and enslaved by dark forces, she had hoped to rebuild bridges with them however it had been, trying. Their cruel masters had forced them to take a diet of addictive substances to ensure they would stay and not attempt to flee, the elders of the Frostwolves had been doing their best to help them overcome this addiction but it was not easy matter.

However despite everything Karnna had gone, stil was still ostracised by the others. Many had learnt of her use of shadow magic and her disrespect of others. So as the elders tended Zarok and his friends with great care, Karnna was left to her own devices.

Now she sat on a hill with only Blackfrost by her side, she had abandoned her assassin’s leathers for traditional Frostwolf garb. With a sigh Karnna’s thoughts turned to that of her sister, Kulgha, she wondered if Mugen was keeping a good watch over her, had she been enjoying the festival with the rest of the clan? Did they even care that she was gone. Would it be better if she stayed here? These dark thoughts constantly bombarded her.

The few times she had been able to speak with her brother again, his moods had been, turnablance, going quickly from angry and frustrated to melancholy and depressed. They had at least come to some understanding, both had made mistakes, that they wanted to put right and neither wanted to part again on a bitter note. However the elders kept them apart mainly to give him time to recover, leaving Karnna mainly wandering the outskirts of the village alone.

“Come on, let’s see if we can’t visit Zarok” Karnna spoke to Blackfrost, her half Frostwolf mount and companion maybe the only thing to never abandon her since she was a child. “Going so soon? And I only just got here” came a smooth accented voice from behind Karnna, as she quickly turned around she saw a tall human man with near pitch black skin with hair just as dark yet silver streaks running across it. His piercing blue eyes staring at her, Karnna would normally had reached for a weapon at this point had it been anyone else, but she knew this man, he had her mentor, a father figure and good friend for many years, Azir Al-khan, one of Ravenholdt’s masters of assassins.

“What are you doing here?!” Karnna hissed, “If any one saw us together I’m the one who going to get in trouble” Karnna quickly scan the area around them, she had not strayed that far from the village, and she could see make out the watchtower at the gate, hoping the sentry was asleep at his post. Azhir laughed musically “You’ve always been overly worried my dear child, I would never intentionally put you in danger, I’m only here to discuss a mission.” He smiled down at her, something Karnna always found unnerving. It was akin to a wolf grinning down at a sheep.

“A mission? I don’t work for Ravenholdt anymore Azhir, you know that” She eyed the master assassin suspiciously, no way he would come all this way to hear no, nor would he wish her to perform a mission for Ravenholdt.
“Unless...this is not a sanctioned mission, is it?” Azhir’s smile never faded “Perhaps not, but I do know it's one you’d be interested in, mainly since it will help your people here” that caught Karnna’s attention.  “Alright, say I am interested, what’s the job?” She turned her back on Azhir focusing instead of calming her wolf, who had been snarling at the human since he appeared. “It’s simple really, there is an alliance lieutenant in Stromgarde, one who does not feel the war is over yet, he been leading sorties into Hillsbrad, and pushing to reinforce the dwarves at Stormpike” That, was indeed a concern, even with the armistice, that did not meant an end to the fighting, Stormpike dwarves still attempted to force out the Frostwolves in Alterac and while the Alliance now fully control Arathi they were eager to “Reclaim” other former Alliance territories. 

“And what would you gain from removing him?” Karnna questioned, Azhir had never cared for the Alliance or Horde, he had ever been loyal only to Ravenholdt, what was the real reason he wanted this Alliance lieutenant dead?

“You know I can’t tell you unless you agree to the mission, if you truly want nothing to do with this you are free to stay here where your “family” continues to distance themselves from you and hope you can change, or you can come with me, and we can do what we do best.

Karnna remained silent for a while, but in her heart, she knew what she was, she would always be an assassin. “Let’s just get this over with” She said bitterly as the two assassins vanished.