Swill leaned back in the solid wooden chair and let his head roll from shoulder to shoulder tasting the last sip of lager roll across his tongue.“Hostage”…

Ito, his good friend and trusted ally was captive somewhere in the cold, dark caverns below the Black Temple, home to Illidan Stormrage. Swill’s tortured memory knew only too well what Ito’s fate would soon be if swift action was not soon employed. The question posed what not whether or not Ito could be rescued, but how and most importantly when he could make it happen. Time was all important, and hope beyond hope, Ito still lived. He must assemble the team…THE team.

It was late evening, and shadows were creeping in to the corners of the Red Rose Inn. An exhausted Swill looked at the patrons in the pub, each so unaware of the threat to their very existence, “Pathetic ignorance.” He thought callously, and with that thought , he stopped dead.

Something… was in that corner.

He slowly reached down to grasp his mighty sword, a sword which had conquered so many beasts and wayward men, but… his hand came up empty.

Panicked, he sprang from the wooden chair and frantically searched the ground beneath the table. Cold sweat ran a slight trickle down the nape of his neck.

“Looking for something?” said a husky female voice from the very shadow of the corner.

Swill spun to see his treasured sword dangling from the finger tips of the night elf, who had not been there a moment before….

“Frikkin rogues!” he snapped as he snatched his weapon from her lithe fingers. Clearly annoyed he turned to pick his money belt from the table, which was now also mysteriously gone, and heard the slight giggle.

He glared hard at Tazeria, “ Where is it?” he demanded.

With a shrug Taz turned and said “ Didn’t take the belt” …then again another giggle from the shadowed corner wafted forth.

Swill was about to bust with frustration when Dantebree slide forth, the belt wrapped neatly around her head. She pointed at the headdress with a long index finger,

“About all it’s good for…head accessory….. not a copper in there. By the way Taz paid the beer tab.” Bree said flatly to Swill as she untied the leather belt and tossed it in his direction.

Tazeria swung her leg over the back of the chair Swill had recently vacated, and sat hard in the seat, blocking his way to the exit.

“Swill,” she said his name in a harsh breath and locked her gaze to his, “’Bree and I are going…Xanuth and Arturok are at the camp waiting for you.”

Taz lowered her gaze and her voice became soft, she looked heavenward and with a sigh spoke:

“ I can feel him” she said to Swill.

Terror ran a cold finger up her spine as she voiced this to Swill.

Swill, nodded at her ,” As can I”