Tauren's Tale - Chapter 2: The Journey
#2 of Tauren's Tale
Here's the (possibly long awaited) sequel to my very first yiff story: A Tauren's Tale. I'm not overly thrilled with how this one turned out, and I was having trouble wrapping the story up. Hopefully it's enough to satisfy people, but please don't kill me if it sounds contrived or cliché...this is why I don't write fan-fiction often. Whether I continue and make a 3rd chapter depends entirely on whether I can come up with a plot for a 3rd chapter or not :P
Obligatory Warning: This work of fiction contains scenes of sex between to tauren males, and should not be read by anyone under 18, or someone who is easily offended by such things. Now that that's over with, I'd also like to say that all reference to the World of Warcraft, including people, and places are all copyright by Blizzard Entertainment. However, the names of the characters themselves are copyrighted by myself.
Enough of that. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it :P
"What do you mean, 'I'm leaving'?" asked Ryldar, a look of worry and concern on his face. The sound of rain echoed inside the cave he had called home for the last few months.
"I'm leaving Mulgore," replied his partner, Tainer. The hunter was all suited up in his armor, with a pack of supplies slung over his back and his wolf companion in tow.
"Why? What is so important that you have to leave?"
"I have things to attend to...personal matters," replied Tainer hesitantly.
"I'm coming with you then!" Ryldar exclaimed, not wanting to leave the side of his mate.
"No! You will not!" Tainer gave the young shaman a cold look. "You still have much to learn here under the tutelage of the Thunderbluff Shaman. You are not yet ready for the outside world."
Rylder grew silent after that. He knew that Tainer was right, but he would never openly admit that. Many months had passed since the two had first met inside the Venture Co. Mines, and during that time the two had shared a special bond. Tainer had hinted at leaving the plains several times but this was the first time that he had openly said anything.
"I'm sorry Rylder. We've certainly had many good times together," the old hunter seemed to be lost for a second as he recounted everything they'd done since they'd met. "but now it's time for me to move on towards greater things that the open plains cannot provide. I care about you a lot, but I can't let you come with me when you're far from prepared. Please understand..." pleaded Tainer. "I'm sorry...I'll return one day." He pulled his hood over his head and walked out of the cave. Outside, tied to a tree was his faithful mount. Saddling up, Tainer gave the kodo a small kick and they were off.
Ryldar stood in the cave entrance, watching his partner disappear into the horizon, tears streaming down his face. He slowly stumbled back into the cave and collapsed onto the makeshift bed, crying himself to sleep.
Several years had passed since the night Tainer had left Mulgore, and Ryldar had grown into a great Tauren. His ringmail armor glittered in the sunlight, and a pair of glowing axes hung at his waist. Underneath his armor bulged powerful muscles, perfected over the course of years of training.
Ryldar had spent many sleepless nights wondering what had happened to Tainer, wishing he could see him again. The young Tauren had almost cried during the day of his final initiation, because Tainer was not there to witness it. He had been granted the title of Stormhowl, in homage to his adept control over lightning and savagery in combat. Somehow though, it all felt pointless without Tainer.
It was a few days after the ceremony when Ryldar saw it. A ghostly wolf appeared to him in a dream, on the anniversary of the day Tainer left.
(Stormhowl, it is time for your reunion...) the wolf had said. It turned and looked to the south-eastern sky. (Head for Camp Taurajo, and look for a Tauren named Jorne Skyseer. He is a young, brash, yet experienced and knowledgable Hunter who knows much of what happens in the Barrens. He will point you in the direction of your loved one.) An image appeared next to the wolf. It was a Tauren, clad in armor made from the hides of beasts and carrying a staff. (However, you must be quick. Time is short and if you wish to see the old hunter again, you'd best be on the move immediately. Luck be with you, young Shaman) said the wolf, bowing its head before slowly fading away.
The shaman awoke, startled by the experience with sweat matting his fur. As adrenaline coursed through his body in anticipation, a smile crossed the young Tauren's face as he thought about his mate. After starting a small fire, Ryldar cooked up a batch of swoop eggs and wolf steaks for breakfast, quickly devouring it. He suited up in his armor as fast as possible and headed outside of his cave. Tied to the very same tree Tainer used was Ryldar's kodo; suited up in a set of black armor complete with a pair of war drums. He untied the beast and climbed on before setting off towards the Barrens.
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Most of the day had passed by the time Ryldar made it to Camp Taurajo. The normally bustling hub that was essentially the bridge between the Tauren and Orcish lands was all but deserted, save for a few individuals travelling through. Approaching the tavern, Ryldar tied his kodo to a post and headed inside. The place was full of people, all talking, laughing, drinking, and all around having a great time.
If my hunch is right, thought Ryldar, Jorne Skyseer should be here somewhere.
He looked over the crowd several times before he finally spotted the Tauren from his vision amidst a small group of people, all seemingly listening intently to the seasoned hunter.
"...then I says to the guy, '13 inches!'" laughed Jorne, as the people around him joined in.
"Jorne Skyseer?" asked Ryldar after the laughter had quieted down.
"Who's asking?" replied Jorne, not particularly happy with being disturbed. The others around the table turned to focus on the young Tauren who'd approached the table, and the way they looked at Ryldar showed him that they didn't care much for him either.
"My name is Ryldar Stormhowl. I'm looking for information on a...friend of mine. He's an old hunter named Tainer."
"Ah Tainer, haven't heard from him in a while. Been almost a month now since he stopped by," Jorne said, stroking his chin as he thought.
"He stopped here? This close to Mulgore? Where was he headed?" Ryldar badgered the other Tauren, failing to keep is excitement in check.
"Hmm...if I remember correctly, he was here only for a night and then sped off to the south. He mentioned something about that pesky Grimtotem Tribe but I can't for the life of me remember what it was about."
"Thanks, that's all I needed to know," Ryldar quickly walked out of the tavern, leaving Jorne's table. The hunter just shrugged his shoulders and went back to socializing with the others around him.
South, huh? Ryldar thought as he mounted his Kodo. Recalling the maps he'd studied while training in Thunderbluff, he came to a conclusion about where to go. That means he must've been headed for Thousand Needles. Maybe someone at Freewind Post saw him recently.
Ryldar rode for a few more hours, with the road lit only by the moon. Pulling off to the side, he tied his kodo to a tree near the base of a hill and set up camp for the night. After a quick supper of some fish he had brought with him, he laid down to go to sleep.
Thoughts of Tainer and the countless nights they spent together began to flood Ryldar's head. His cock began to stiffen as he remembered the first night they spent together. Removing his leggings, he grabbed his now fully erect member and began to stroke it slowly, causing himself to let out a low moan.
Pre started to drip down his cock, so he took some on his fingers and reached further down to lube up his tail hole. Once he was good and ready, he licked his first two fingers and pushed against his hole, gasping as he penetrated himself. He began to stroke his cock faster, moving in time with his fingers and letting out a moan each time he hit his prostate.
"Aw, fuck..." he groaned, as his body tensed up. Letting out a loud moan, he fired his load all over himself, coating his chest in thick ropes of cum. Panting, he slowly scooped some of his cum off with his fingers and licked them clean. It wasn't long before he rolled over and passed out from exhaustion...
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"He was rather persistent, but just like the ones before him, he gave in as soon as he realized that it was either surrender, or die," explained the black-furred bull. He walked about wearing nothing except an eye patch on his right eye. His horns were as dark as his fur, and they curved down and to the sides of his head. The right horn was chipped away, nearly half the size of his left one. "It's shameful though, that he'd rather subject himself to such things rather than die an honourable death. Whatever happened to the proud warriors of the Horde, I wonder? No matter, after all these years he's still beneath me, where he belongs."
A young female stood near the entrance to the cave, underneath a simple fur canvas that hung over the opening. She wore a red robe with a triangle pattern making a V-shape across the chest. A glowing, gemmed staff was slung over her back, and arcane magic seemed to emanate from it. "Chief Darkhorn, shall I prepare him for another visit? He has not yet eaten nor drank anything in two days, not to mention the fact he hasn't been cleaned since you obtained him...I can smell him as I pass the tent, and it is not at all pleasant."
Darkhorn chuckled at her request, "Concerned for the old bull?"
"No, Chieftain. I only wish to make sure that he is able to perform his duties to the best of his abilities for you." She responded.
The Chieftain waved her away dismissively, "Go then, Narala. Make sure he is ready for me in an hour. I'd like to utilize his services soon." The Mage bowed before leaving the cave to go have a meal and a bath prepared for the prisoner. "The old hunter has quite the masterful tongue..."
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It was almost a week later before Ryldar finally stepped off the lift and onto the bluff that housed Freewind Post. The dry wind whipped about him and threw dust in his eyes. He searched about for a few minutes before he found the small in that contained nothing more than a few beds. It didn't even house a tavern. In fact, there wasn't a single vendor selling any alcohol on the whole bluff, and Ryldar figured it to be for the best; there was nothing to stop a drunk from falling to his death over the sides of the outpost.
So this is Freewind Post...I wonder who I should speak to about finding some information. Ryldar hadn't a clue on where to begin. He'd received no further guidance from the spirits, and he was new in town so he had no idea where to look. Maybe the best place to start would be to speak to the head of this outpost and go from there. After asking a few of the merchants, he found his way over to Cliffwatcher Longhorn whom was outside the inn posting a WANTED sign.
"Blasted Centaur..." the bull was muttering several other things under his breath as he hammered the sign into the ground.
"Um...Cliffwatcher Longhorn?" Ryldar asked, approaching the brown-furred Tauren.
"Yes, that's me. And who might you be?"
"My name is Ryldar Stormhowl, a Shaman from Thunderbluff. I'm seeking a companion of mine named Tainer, who I was told was coming here to investigate the Grimtotem Tribe."
The Cliffwatcher shrugged, "Sorry lad, I get a lot of people coming through here that are after those pests, I don't even bother trying to remember half their names anymore. Most of them end up dead anyways. I'd suggest you not follow their footsteps. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a bit busy at the moment..."
Ryldar walked sullenly away from the Cliffwatcher. Perhaps the best way to go about finding Tainer would to be by investigating the Grimtotem compound himself. As he headed towards the lift, he was halted by a leather-clad orc. His face was concealed behind a helm made out of the pelt of a wolf's head.
"You're looking for Tainer?" he asked. The orc seemed a bit shifty to Ryldar, but he didn't care at that moment. Someone here knew who Tainer was and the Shaman was determined to find his mate.
"Aye, I am. Although no one here seems to have ever seen nor heard of him."
The orc looked around to make sure no one was within ear shot then inched closer to Ryldar. "I believe I can be of assistance then. There's a lot of money to be had in the information trade, so when I heard about a job that involved gathering information from the Grimtotem tribe, I couldn't refuse. I needed a hand with the task, and that's when I happened upon Tainer whom was inquiring about the Grimtotem. We spoke for a bit and I offered to pay Tainer for collecting any information he could from the Grimtotems. He said he had some sort of old score to settle with the tribe and took me up on the offer since he was headed to the compound anyways."
"You didn't accompany him?" questioned Ryldar. The orc's unusual behaviour was more than a little unsettling, and the Shaman guessed it was due to the fact the Rogue probably had many enemies who'd like to stick a dagger into the shifty dealer's back.
"No, I had a client I needed to meet in Gadgetzan, so Tainer went off after we agreed to meet back here. That was several weeks ago," the orc replied.
Ryldar thought to himself for a moment. "You still need some information regarding the Grimtotem in this region don't you?" The orc nodded in response. Ryldar figured that some client was getting impatient with the rogue's lack of results, which would explain how nervous he was here out of the shadows. "Perhaps we can help each other. I just want to find Tainer, but that compound is probably too large to search alone, and it would be much easier to handle any trouble that comes our way if there are two of us. Shall we travel together?"
The orc didn't hesitate to agree with the Shaman, and he reached out to clasp the Shaman's wrist. "Your name, Shaman."
"Ryldar Stormhowl. And yours?"
"I prefer not to give out my true name, so please, refer to me as Bladefury." Ryldar didn't bother to argue; the orc's name didn't matter to him anyways.
"Well then, Bladefury, the day is almost gone and we've got quite a ride ahead of us if we wish to make it to the Grimtotem compound before sunset."
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The disgusting organ slid into his mouth at a fast pace, it's owner letting out a moan of pleasure. The old tauren sucking at the cock had his hands bound behind him. He turned his eyes upwards at Darkhorn, giving the Grimtotem chieftain a look of revulsion and hatred.
"Hehe (grunt) you should at least (pant) try to enjoy this, Tainer ," Darkhorn grinned as he continued his assault on the Tauren's mouth. The tempo of his thrusting increased with each second as he neared his climax. "Nngh! Hope you're hungry..."
The Tauren could feel the sickly fluid spurting into his mouth. He lost count of how many jets of cum sprayed the back of his throat. Before Darkhorn was finished, he pulled out and fired the last few spurts into Tainer's face. Nothing was more humiliating than the feeling of Darkhorn's still warm cum plastered across his snout. It sickened the old Tauren to the core.
"Ah, much better," sighed Darkhorn. "If it weren't for the look in your eyes, I'd say you enjoy this." He grabbed his cock and flicked it clean, spraying the Tauren in the face with the last few drops of seed. "Narala will be by shortly to clean you up and feed you. You should be grateful I spared your life, after we found you snooping around the camp. Remember this well, Tainer Grimtotem," the hunter winced at the mention of his clan name, "that I will keep you alive for only as long as you bring me pleasure..." he walked out of the tent, leaving the Tauren alone to his thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Ryldar," the old Tauren was ashamed of what he was doing. He kept thinking to himself how he should've let himself be killed off like any proud warrior, but then he remembered that he'd promised to return to Mulgore...to return to Ryldar. "I will return to you, one way or another. I won't go back on my word."
It was the only thing that kept him going.
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The sun had finally fallen below the horizon, and what little light that remained cast enormous shadows from the spires that made up Thousand Needles. The companions approached the slope that snaked around one of the spires belonging to the Grimtotem. They dismounted and began their trek upwards, sticking to the shadows as best as they could. Ryldar was not nearly as skilled as his orcish companion in the art of stealth, so he let Bladefury take the lead, peaking around corners to ensure a safe passage.
When they reached the top of the first needle, there was a pair of guards sitting near a small fire. Ryldar reached for his twin axes but Bladefury motioned him to remain still. The orc crept along the shadows, keeping out of sight of the two guards. When one of them turned to tend to the fire, Bladefury struck. He swung with his mace and hit the first guard over the head, knocking her unconscious. The thud from her body falling alerted the other Tauren, but it was too late. The orc struck again, with a well placed dagger in the back, puncturing the heart of the second guard. He placed his hand over the Tauren's mouth to muffle the screams and after a few seconds, it was over.
Ryldar could only watch the spectacle in disgust. He hated such under-handed and sneaky acts, but he also realized that in this situation such tactics were necessary. A single guard could rouse the entire camp, and the two of them would be no match for so many Grimtotem.
"Come, let's get moving before someone finds their bodies," Bladefury whispered, motioning for Ryldar to move up. They approached a bridge that connected two needles and crossed it as silently as they could. There were more guards and Bladefury dispatched them in a similar manner as the first pair. Unfortunately, he slipped up and didn't notice the patrol on the far end of the needle.
"Intruders!" shouted the guard, raising an alarm across the entire compound.
Bladefury cursed himself under his breath, while Ryldar readied himself for the coming assault. "Meet them at the bridge, we can use it to force them to come at us one at a time."
They got into position and readied themselves. Ryldar tossed totems into the ground that empowered him and his orcish companion, their strength and speed increasing as the spirits lent them their power. The wind blessed the Shaman's axes as he struck out at the first attacker, mortally wounding the warrior with a slash across the throat. Without losing momentum he spun on his hooves and deftly sliced the weapon arm of the next attacker. Ryldar raised his hand and slammed it into the chest of the guard, striking him with a blast of frost and quickly rendering him useless.
Bladefury, true to his chosen name, was a green blur. His daggers flashed out and struck attackers faster than their eyes could see. He'd already felled three Grimtotem before Ryldar was able to come and assist the rogue. A bolt of lightning fired past him, striking a Tauren and causing its heart to stop from the electricity coursing through his veins.
"It won't be long before there are more of them upon us. Let's see if we can find proof as to whether your friend is...or was, here or not," Bladefury took the lead once again with Ryldar in tow.
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"What's going on!?" hollered Darkhorn before he had even left the tent. He was once again wearing nothing but a loincloth.
Narala came rushing over to the Chieftain, "It seems we have a pair of intruders headed in this direction. I have no clue as to what they're trying to accomplish but our warriors are having problems holding them off."
"Go and assist them Sorceress!" growled the Grimtotem leader, "I need to go get my equipment." The mage gave a quick bow before she was off again, headed in the direction of all the commotion.
From within the tent, Tainer smiled, and realized that his chance to escape might reveal itself soon.
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Ryldar followed Bladefury across the bridge, with several Grimtotem hot on their tails. They'd passed the spire that housed the tents of the tribes warriors, and if they could stop them from getting across the bridge, they wouldn't have any more fighters to worry about other than the last few pairs of guards that were protecting the rear of the Grimtotem compound.
Once they were across the bridge, Bladefury yelled to Ryldar over his shoulder, "Cut the rope as soon as you're across! Drop the scum into the ravine below and halt their persuit!"
Despite the fact Ryldar didn't like such tactics and preferred to fight honourably, he didn't bother to argue. His axes cut easily through the rope and the bridge began to fall, sending the few unlucky Grimtotem whom had remained on the bridge plummeting to the ground below.
The two companions took a moment to catch their breath and prepare themselves for the remainder of their incursion into the compound. They didn't get more than a few moments before Bladefury noticed movement coming from the rear of the compound.
"Son of a motherless gnoll!" The remaining guards that stood in their way had grouped up and were headed towards them. "Let's go, we need to funnel them to us with the bridge again."
They got into position again, expecting the strategy to work in a similar manner. However, something was wrong. The ground beneath them began to feel hot and was rapidly increasing in temperature.
"Shit...GET BACK!" the pair leapt away from the bridge just as a plume of fire erupted from the ground they had just been standing on.
"Don't let them advance!" shouted a female voice from the other side of the bridge. The remaining guards poured onto the spire and engaged the two intruders.
Bladefury growled in frustration. He reached into his tunic and grabbed several knives from a belt that he hid underneath his clothes. He threw them with pinpoint accuracy, sending the knives spiralling through the air. However, all but one of his targets was able to dodge the projectiles.
Ryldar also tried to take a few of them down at range, and he hurled an arcing bolt of lightning that arced between several Grimtotem at once. The first one to be hit fell where he stood but the remaining two shrugged off the magical attack.
Not wanting to watch as her warriors died, Narala began to conjure a ball of fire aimed for the Shaman. It flew through the air with blinding speed, and Ryldar only noticed it at the last second. He raised his left arm to shield his face and managed to protect himself, although his arm was severely burnt. He screamed out in pain, having never before felt the sting of a mage's spell work before. Momentarily disoriented from the experience, the remaining two Grimtotem warriors advanced on the Shaman.
The orc rogue was able to deal with his remaining opponents quickly, and before he could make a move for the mage he saw that Ryldar was in trouble. "Damn it!" Bounding over the corpses of the Grimtotem he felled, he shouted instructions for Ryldar to get back. The young Shaman was clutching his arm, wincing in pain and trying to cast his best healing spells to dull the pain and stop his flesh from burning.
Bladefury jumped in between Ryldar and his attackers, slicing the throat of one of them before he even landed. His other dagger was out in a flash and driven into the eye of the last one. He left it embedded in the Grimtotem, knowing that he would be dead shortly.
"Get up lad, we need to deal with that Mage quickly before she's upon us with more of her magic."
Ryldar sighed in relief, his spell finally taking hold and helping him ignore the pain enough to continue. "Nngh...alright, let's go."
"Damn them to the nine hells!" cursed Narala. She had been over-confident in the abilities of the Grimtotem warriors, and was hoping that they would've been enough eliminate the intruders.
She began to prepare another spell, turning the mana in the air around her into pure arcane energy. It was a simple, but effective spell, and she hoped it would be enough to delay the two attackers until she could get a more powerful spell ready.
Ryldar had anticipated further attacks by the mage and was able to cast a dweomer onto one of his totems just in time to throw it onto the ground as Narala's spell went off. The arcane energy flew instantaneously through the air, but instead of striking either of the companions like she had hoped, it was redirected to the totem and was destroyed instead. The mage growled under her breath at her follow for underestimating the Shaman. Before she could turn and retreat though, Bladefury was already upon her.
"Filthy mage!" his daggers flashed out in front of him, cutting only at the air as Narala doubled back to avoid their reach. Her hands waved in front of her and something shimmered in the air around her, momentarily distorting the image of everything behind the shield she conjured.
Ryldar attempted to dispel her magic shield but the mage's will was greater than his own and was able to prevent the attempt. The Shaman resolved to just fight his way through the shield and swung his axes at the mage, only to have them bounce off the invisible shield harmlessly. Bladefury's attacks were repelled as well, and neither of them could get through the shield as Narala began chanting an incantation to cast another spell. Ryldar made one more last ditch effort to break through the shield, but the shield absorbed his spell and Narala was able to continue casting unharmed.
Bladefury tried to shout to Ryldar to get back, but it was too late as an explosive force of ice blasted them full force. The two adventurers were brought to their knees by the spell, and Narala advanced before they could recover.
"Say good-bye, intruders!" she was about to begin conjuring another fireball, but something happened. The small ball of fire dissipated in her hands, and the shield shimmered one final time before fading as well. "What? NO!" she shouted, turning to run. In the heat of the moment, the mage hadn't even realized she'd used up her magical energies trying to fend them off with her shield.
"Now! Don't let her get away!" Ryldar shouted as he stood up. Bladefury, the faster of the two, was already springing into action. He grabbed for his mace and as he got into range, he clubbed Narala over the head. The Tauren mage fell to the ground with a thud.
"I don't kill women...count yourself lucky, witch," spat the orc.
"We're almost there, let's go!" Ryldar pressed onward toward the very back of the compound, marked by the large tent next to a cave.
"Which way?" Bladefury wondered out loud, but without even answering Ryldar rushed into the tent.
The Shaman was searching for something: scrolls, or books, or even the Chieftain himself that he could question. What he got was something entirely different. In the far corner of the tent, huddled on the ground with his hands bound behind his back was Tainer.
"By the spirits...Tainer!?" Ryldar said, horrified when he saw the old hunter lying on the ground, his fur mottled in several spots, and matted by blood and semen in others. He wore nothing but his loincloth and an anguished look on his face. Tainer looked up at Ryldar, and their eyes met for the first time in many years. "My god, what happened to you?"
"I am what happened to him, boy!" a booming voice echoed from outside the cave.
Tainer gave his mate a look of desperation and pleading. "Run, while you have the chance."
"I'm not going anywhere, not without you. I've come all this way and I'll not lose you again." Ryldar positioned himself behind Tainer, asking him to spread his arms. Using his axe, he quickly chopped cleanly through the bonds that held the hunter. He did the same with Tainer's feet, and helped him to stand.
"Darkhorn will kill you, just run and forget about me."
Ryldar ignored the hunter's plea and exited the tent. Tainer followed behind slowly, peaking out from behind the tent flap and seeing both Ryldar and the Grimtotem Chieftain, Darkhorn clearly illuminated by the nearby fire. The Tauren was clad in blood red platemail armor, and hand his hands resting on the pommel of his sword, which was dug into the ground a bit. As Ryldar approached him, he noticed that the Chief was at least a couple feet taller than himself.
"So you're the runt that has been causing such a ruckus in my compound," sneered Darkhorn. He hoisted his greatsword up onto his shoulder and laughed, "Your companion ran as soon as he saw me...you should've done the same rather than trying to take one of my slaves away from me!"
The Chief charged at Ryldar, gripping the sword with both hands and heaving it in a wide overhead arc, trying to bring it down on the young Shaman. Not about to be taken down by a single swing of the sword, he deftly dodged to the side, feeling nothing but the displaced air flowing over him from the swing of the weapon. He called to the spirits around him and attempted to slow Darkhorn down with a shock of frost magic, but it dissipated before reaching its target.
Darkhorn laughed again, taking another swipe at the Shaman with a levelled out horizontal slash. "Did you think I'd leave myself defenceless to magic-wielding pups like you?" Ryldar tried again, only to have his spell fail in a similar manner. "Foolish Shaman, I wouldn't have a mage at my side for so long and not have her craft me something that could protect me."
It was then that Ryldar noticed the slight glimmer of magical runes that danced across Darkhorn's armor, and similar to the mage's shield, he wasn't able to dispel it. Damnit, the armor has a dweomer on it to absorb magic!
Cursing the mage he'd fought only a short time ago, he charged at Darkhorn with axes drawn. As another swing of the sword came down at him, he dove forward and to the right, getting under the Chieftain's right arm and bringing his axe up, slicing at the exposed flesh.
"GAAAH!" hollered Darkhorn, his arm falling limp and useless at his side. "Grr...I can still fight with my other arm!" he brought his good arm in towards him, striking Ryldar with the flat of his blade and breaking one of his ribs.
"Ryldar!" shouted Tainer, watching. Without his equipment, he was almost useless in this fight.
Doing his best to shift into the form of a wolf, he was able to shrink down and double back quickly enough to get out of reach of the sword. Shifting back into his natural form, he was able to cast another healing spell to shift the bones back in place, although they remained fractured.
"That's going to take a while to heal..." he muttered under his breath.
"Provided you even survive!" Darkhorn was upon the Shaman again with a series of quick swings meant to put Ryldar off balance. The Shaman was capable of dodging each one, but every time he did, he moved closer to the wall next to the cave. He felt the cold stone upon his back and knew he had nowhere else to run.
"This is the end for you!" shouted Darkhorn, raising his sword again to strike.
"No!" Tainer leapt at Darkhorn, and even though the weeks of malnutrition and being trapped in his bounds had left him weak, he still had enough strength to knock Darkhorn's aim off.
"Why you impudent..." Darkhorn swung the back of his hand and struck Tainer, forcing a stream of blood to spew out from his mouth. The hunter followed the force of the blow and went spiralling to the ground.
The distraction had served its purpose though, as Ryldar was on the offensive in an instant. His axes struck with deadly accuracy, leaving shallow cuts in Darkhorn's magical armor. Sparks flew as he continued his assault, maintaining a constant and feverish pace despite his fatigue. He wasn't about to let the Grimtotem Chieftain regain his balance.
Darkhorn finally managed to bring the sword up and down at Ryldar. It was too late to dodge, so he raised his axes in a cross formation and parried the blow. He easily stepped forward while the axes kept the sword from cleaving him in two, and as he got close enough to smell the Chieftain's foul breath, he released the sword, letting it descend and opening up a weak point in Darkhorn's defences. His axes arced towards the exposed flesh of the Grimtotem's throat, hitting their mark.
"Kuuhhh..." gasped Darkhorn, unable to scream. He lost the grip on his sword and his eyes went wide. "W-why?"
"Because...because I love him!" with a final tug of his arms, the axe made a clean cut across the chieftain's throat, severing the head from the rest of the body. The Tauren's head fell to the ground with a wet thud, and his body followed suit.
The death of the Grimtotem Chieftain was followed by silence, broken only by the whistling of the wind and the crackling of the nearby campfire. In his state of exhaustion, Ryldar let his axes drop to the ground and fell to his knees.
"Ryldar! Ryldar lad, are you ok?" Bladefury came running over after realizing that Darkhorn had been besting in battle.
"Hannh...hannh..." panted Rydar, "s-some help you were..."
"Um...I had to find that...information," Bladefury nervously scratched the back of his head, not wanting to meet the gaze of the other two Tauren. "Besides, you seemed to have a handle on the situation. I didn't want to get in your way." He noticed the sceptical look on the Shaman's face, but chose not to make any comment regarding it. "Anyways...I found what I was looking for: documents detailing the movements of the Grimtotem tribe. I'm sure my client will finally be satisfied enough to stop hounding me." The orc took note of Tainer. "Glad to see you're still alive, (cough) albeit a little worse for wear." Tainer figured that Bladefury knew what had happened, and looked away, feeling the shame return tenfold.
"But anyways, I must be off to deliver these to my client. I hope you two will be able to find your way down..." and in an instant, Bladefury had disappeared into the shadows.
Ryldar let out a sigh, and looked to the old hunter. "Well, let's get home. I'm sure it's been a tiring experience for you."
"Ryldar..." Tainer started to say, but Ryldar interrupted him.
"No, please, don't say anything. You did what you had to do to survive."
"I did it for you...I promised to return, all those years ago...and I hate to break a promise, especially to someone like you."
Ryldar was touched by the thought that even after all this time Tainer still thought of him as someone special. His face beamed with a smile, and despite his bad smell, he pulled Tainer into a hug.
"Thank you..." whispered Tainer, stifling a sob. He hadn't felt the embrace of another in such a long time, and after the ordeal in the Grimtotem compound, he wanted nothing more than to settle back into his old home in Mulgore and cuddle up next to Ryldar.
=== === === === ===
1 month later...
=== === === === ===
"I think it's finally healed," Ryldar mused out loud, poking at his ribs with a finger. It was a particularily hot summer day, so both of them were just in their loincloths.
Tainer strode over to him from the cave's entrance. His coat of black fur had returned with the streaks of grey that accompanied someone of his age. The wounds from the beatings he took while in captivity had almost healed. Everything was back to normal.
"You know, you never did tell me what was so important that you had to leave for so long..." Ryldar said.
Tainer shifted uncomfortably. He knew that one day he would have to tell Ryldar about his travels, about his past, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. "It's a long story..."
The old hunter told Ryldar all about his travels across Kalimdor, how he'd been everywhere from Orgrimmar, to the Stonetalon Mountains, and as far south as Feralas. "I was searching for someone...my former friend, Darkhorn Grimtotem..."
Ryldar wore an expression of utter shock. "He was your friend!?"
"Aye. I used to be part of the Grimtotem tribe. My full name is, quite obviously, Tainer Grimtotem," explained the hunter, "We were both one of the finest warriors the tribe had ever seen, and earned a great deal of respect for our fighting prowess. As time progressed though, Darkhorn began to lust for power. Under cover of night, he slew our former Chieftain, as well as anyone who stood in his way...including my parents."
Ryldar listened intently, not wanting to interrupt the hunter's tale. "I fled as soon as I found out what he had done, and promised myself that I would get back at him no matter how long it would take. I lived out on the road afterwards for decades, even after Thunderbluff had been established, and learnt how to survive."
Tainer smiled, looking Ryldar in the eye, "It was about then, that I met you at the Venture Co. mines. You've changed a lot since then, and I suppose I have too. You're not the bashful young bull you used to be, and I'm not the grumpy old hermit I was."
"You've been through a lot..."
"That would be an understatement, but yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before...I thought you'd openly reject me for my heritage, considering how things are now a days between the Horde and the Grimtotem tribes."
"Think nothing more of it, I understand why you did what you did," Ryldar said, trying to reassure his mate that everything was fine. "All that matters is that you're here now."
They talked a bit more, about Ryldar's experiences since they had parted, about their plans for the future, and what not. After a few hours, Tainer began to feel something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"You know, there's been something I've been wanting to do since we came back..." Tainer crawled from his seat towards Ryldar, pressing his mouth to the younger bull's and pushing forward, forcing the Shaman to lay on his back. His tongue snaked its way into Ryldar's mouth, and they kissed passionately. The floodgates that kept their pent up emotions at bay finally opened and they lost themselves in their lust.
Their loincloths were off in an instant as Tainer ripped them off in one powerful, swift motion. He ground his cock against Ryldar, forcing a moan from his mouth. The hunter broke the kiss and sat up. He took their cocks in his hand and stroked them both at once, feeling their members throbbing against each other. Pre flowed freely from Ryldar, coating Tainer's hand and making his movements easier. The older Tauren reached down and began to play with his partner's nipples; rubbing them, giving them a slight pinch. The sensation sent shivers up Ryldar's spine and brought him closer to the point of no return.
"Oh gods...I missed this..." gasped Ryldar.
Tainer removed his hand from their cocks and pulled Ryldar up onto his knees. The hunter stood up and pressed his member against Ryldar's face, rubbing it across his snout until he took it in his mouth. Tainer placed his hands on the back of Ryldar's head and ran them threw his hair as the Shaman worked his tongue over the cock in his mouth. He lapped at the underside of it, making Tainer moan and thrust involuntarily into his partner's mouth.
"Yesss...just like that, get it good and wet," instructed Tainer, already knowing what he was going to do next.
Ryldar continued his ministrations on the older bull's cock, trying his best to fit the entire thing into his mouth. He tasted just as good as Ryldar remembered. The hands on the back of his head moved and grabbed hold of his horns, and he could feel Tainer tugging on them, taking control and thrusting into his mouth. Ryldar continued to suck at the cock, swirling his tongue across the head each time Tainer thrust into all the way in. This went on for several minutes before Tainer pulled out and ordered Ryldar to get on all fours.
"Every night I was gone..." he said as he positioned himself behind Ryldar, his penis dripping with spit, "I couldn't help but think of this while I played with myself!" he accentuated the last bit by shoving his cock hard into Ryldar's ass, not waiting to open him up.
The younger Tauren yelped in pain, not having been mated in such a long time. He didn't ask Tainer to stop; he wanted this. The cock pumped in and out of him was a feverish pace, jabbing his prostate each time and sending a wave of pleasure that washed over his lower regions. Pre-cum dripped from Ryldar's cock and onto the cavern floor.
"Come on...harder!" shouted Ryldar, driven by his lust. "Don't stop!"
Tainer was more than happy to oblige, as he picked up speed to a point Ryldar hadn't thought possible. The Shaman was in paradise, moaning every time Tainer drove his member all the way in.
"I'm not gonna...I'm...oh gods I'm going to cum!" Tainer pounded Ryldar's ass as hard as he could, finally slamming his cock inside his mate hard as he fired his load. Ryldar could feel every single pulse of Tainer's member as it shot each stream of cum, filling him and sending a feeling of warmth out from within. The sensation was too much for the Shamanm and he wasn't able to hold back his own orgasm. He let out of a roar, his seed plastering the ground below him.
Ryldar's legs began to feel weak, and he collapsed onto the cum-soaked ground. Tainer, still inside the Shaman, was pulled down with him...while he was still firing a few remaining jets of cum!
"Oooohh..." was all Ryldar was able to get out as the afterglow settled in. Tainer simply panted, his load finally spent.
"Consider this my promise to you, Ryldar Stormhowl..." Tainer said after he'd recovered, and licked his partner's face. "That I won't go anywhere again, not without you by my side."
Ryldar didn't respond. He'd fallen fast asleep and was already snoring while Tainer was still buried inside his ass.
"Youth these days..." Tainer shrugged, following Ryldar's lead and drifting off into a peaceful sleep as well.