The flame of the candle flickered violently from the breeze flowing through the half open window. Noikona grumbled as she rose from her desk and shuttered the window. It was late in the Recluse, but paperwork had its priority. The books needed to be balanced, payroll needed to be met and inventory checked. Business had risen since she’d allowed the Bards and Feathers to manage the bar, but it worried her that things appeared to be dwindling again. The thought of selling the place entered her mind again, maybe she would bring up the subject, she just didn’t know. Noikona was about to sit when she heard a rustling from the cellar. Her office was just off to the side of the kitchen. The cellar stairs were a few paces from her door.
Anger flashed over her face, she wasn’t about to have rats jeopardize business. Noikona quickly left the office and headed down the steps. Her dark vision quickly adjusted to the gloom, it wasn’t great but it was far superior to many other races. She crept soundlessly between the boxes and kegs, listening for the telltale sign of the rodent, she turned a corner and almost jumped back. It wasn’t a rat, but a small figure. Noikona’s reaction was swift and brutal. Her fist connected solidly with the ‘trespasser’, there was a muffled groan and a thump as the body hit the ground.
Noikona loomed over the crumpled heap. She could hear its shallow breathing in the dead silence, she wasn’t about to take its life just yet. A small blue light flicked from her left wrist, in this darkness it was hard to hide. Her probation bracelet which she had disguised since she conned her way to freedom reminded her she needed to be careful. Paperwork she could launder, but the bracelet was magically bonded to her for another twenty years, something she couldn’t so easily get rid of.
From the top of one of the many crates she grabbed a burlap bag and quickly stuffed the gnome into it. Flinging the bag over her shoulder she removed her hearthstone from her satchel. She sighed deeply as she let it activate.
Noikona arrived in Darnassus where she had her gryphon stabled. She paid the stable boy a fee with a gracious tip, hinting that he shouldn’t mention that he had ever seen her. She strapped the burlap bag to the side of her mount and took to the sky heading southeast over the water.
It had been several hours of flying before Noikona started to circle. Her gryphon seemed nervous, but still obeyed her commands and began to hover in place. The ground beneath them must have been five thousand feet away. The sun was just starting to make a glow in the east. Noikona worked quickly, tying a parachute around the bag. The bag now started to move, a muffled voice could be heard protesting. She finished the last tie and flung the bag away from her into the open space.
The bag plunged away, its parachute opened and it floated gently and slowly down into the streets of Orgrimmar.
Anger flashed over her face, she wasn’t about to have rats jeopardize business. Noikona quickly left the office and headed down the steps. Her dark vision quickly adjusted to the gloom, it wasn’t great but it was far superior to many other races. She crept soundlessly between the boxes and kegs, listening for the telltale sign of the rodent, she turned a corner and almost jumped back. It wasn’t a rat, but a small figure. Noikona’s reaction was swift and brutal. Her fist connected solidly with the ‘trespasser’, there was a muffled groan and a thump as the body hit the ground.
Noikona loomed over the crumpled heap. She could hear its shallow breathing in the dead silence, she wasn’t about to take its life just yet. A small blue light flicked from her left wrist, in this darkness it was hard to hide. Her probation bracelet which she had disguised since she conned her way to freedom reminded her she needed to be careful. Paperwork she could launder, but the bracelet was magically bonded to her for another twenty years, something she couldn’t so easily get rid of.
From the top of one of the many crates she grabbed a burlap bag and quickly stuffed the gnome into it. Flinging the bag over her shoulder she removed her hearthstone from her satchel. She sighed deeply as she let it activate.
Noikona arrived in Darnassus where she had her gryphon stabled. She paid the stable boy a fee with a gracious tip, hinting that he shouldn’t mention that he had ever seen her. She strapped the burlap bag to the side of her mount and took to the sky heading southeast over the water.
It had been several hours of flying before Noikona started to circle. Her gryphon seemed nervous, but still obeyed her commands and began to hover in place. The ground beneath them must have been five thousand feet away. The sun was just starting to make a glow in the east. Noikona worked quickly, tying a parachute around the bag. The bag now started to move, a muffled voice could be heard protesting. She finished the last tie and flung the bag away from her into the open space.
The bag plunged away, its parachute opened and it floated gently and slowly down into the streets of Orgrimmar.
