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| Details |
| Author: | MrMook |
| Summary: | Blue Squad fights alongside the Shado-Pan at Gao-Ran’s Battlefront under Taran Zhu: Atley leads, Shun scouts/herbs, Kenelly heals, Arric tracks/fights, Peixin infiltrates. They hold against an early mantid surge by reinforcing defenses, aiding scouts, and sealing breaches. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
The camp at Hatred’s Vice bustles with activity as Shado-Pan rangers and monks work to strike tents and gather equipment.
Atley steps forward, casually observing the hustle and bustle of the Shado-Pan.
Kenelly wanders through the camp, blinking curiously at all the activity.
Peixin is leaning against a rocky ledge, observing the activity.
"Afternoon, everyone," Arric says in a slightly more genial tone than the occasion suggests.
Shun glances back and grunts.
"Hullo', Arric," Atley greets with a resounding growl.
Ban Bearheart waves them over. “My friends. I think we have at last quelled the restless spirits of this place. I hope they will rest peacefully. But our journey into this cursed land, I fear, has just begun.”
Atley marches up to Ban Bearheart and grunts.
"I'm an old hand at cursed lands," Kenelly says with grim humor. "How can we help?"
Ban Bearheart says, “We will be moving out soon. Will you do me the favor of riding ahead to Gao-Ran’s Battlefront to tell Lord Taran Zhu that we will be joining him shortly?”
Atley looks to the squad and then back to Ban Bearheart. "We can. Mount up, you lot."
Shun nods curtly and goes to fetch the Grey Yak.
"All right!" Peixin says, a small smile on her face. "Let's do this!"
Arric fetches his extremely irritable white stallion. Rica tags along behind.
Atley climbs on top of the towering form of Hal'vyr.
Kenelly takes a breath, then transforms into her fuzzier visage.
Arric says, "Rica, follow."
Atley spurs Hal'vyr on, heading directly south.
A Shado-Pan banner marks the road ahead where it curves beneath the arch of the root of a massive tree. To the left of the road, a Shado-Pan scout stands silent watch over a trio of mantid corpses.
Shun eyes the corpse, narrowing his eyes.
Atley eyes Mao the Lookout and gives him a stern nod before marching on.
Win-Win eyes Hal'vyr balefully.
'Aww, Mantids! Sweet!" Peixin beams.
Hal'vyr doesn't seem to notice, appearing almost bored in his dedication to his rider.
This camp is well-established and orderly but it seems strangely quiet, underpopulated for its size.
Peixin looks around curiously.
At the center of camp, before the largest tent, Taran Zhu stands in conversation with a man in the armor of a Shado-Pan commander. “Where are the northern sentries?” Taran Zhu demands. “I didn’t spot a single one of your men before reaching the camp. You grow lax, Gao-Ran.”
“With all due respect, Lord,” Gao-Ran replies, “we have not grown lax. We are stretched thin. We are beset on all fronts, my men are worked to the bone, and I have not a single warrior to spare. The mantid have not been seen in these numbers since the swarm more than ninety years ago. My men are going days without sleep just to hold this line.” He shakes his head. “Perhaps we should pull back to the wall.
If the full force of the mantid come, we can confidently hold them there.”
Kenelly's ears droop at the news of the dire situation.
"Shit…" Shun mutters under his breath.
“No,” says Taran Zhu. “We will not be pulling back. It will be years yet before the mantid birth their next swarm. I will not see the Townlong Steppes given to them freely. I had come to seek strong pandaren to hunt the Sha of Hatred, but we will step in here and help you fortify the barricade first.”
Arric's eyes are on Taran Zhu, studying him with great interest as he speaks.
Taran Zhu turns to the scout beside him. “Taoshi, go north and make sure there are no mantid on our flank. I will see to the defenses.”
“At once, Lord Zhu,” Taoshi replies.
“The men will be glad to have you with us, Lord Zhu,” says Gao-Ran.
"Do we make ourselves known, now?" Peixin says, nudging Dane.
“I've gone too long without visiting the front, Gao-Ran. Your long efforts are appreciated,” Taran Zhu tells him. He turns to survey the arrivals. “Cobalt Company. Did the northern expedition go well, then? What do you have to report?”
"We did it!" Peixin whispers to Dane. She giggles.
Atley nods at Peixin before walking forward. "Lord Zhu. The Sha of Hatred wiped out a yaungol encampment, doing most of the heavy lifting. We drove the remnatns from the Lower Sumprushes there."
Taran Zhu has folded his arms. He looks grim. Grimmer than usual, that is. “We must pursue the Sha of Hatred. But this battlefront has been undermanned and unsupplied for too long during my absence in Kun-Lai.
Arric gracefully dismounts and strides confidently up to Taran Zhu. "Lord Zhu," he says. "I'm Lord Arric Falrevere of the Alliance, a hunter and member of Cobalt Company's famed Blue Squad. I am happy to assist."
Shun grunts.
Rica says, k-k-k-k-k-k.
Atley furrows his brow.
Taran Zhu warily inspects the rest of Blue Squad.
Peixin waves to Taran Zhu. "Peixin Goldensprout, their local tour guide."
Arric clasps Peixin on the shoulder and nods to her.
Taran Zhu says, "We cannot leave ourselves open like this. We will have to get things back in order here before we pick up the Sha’s trail once more.”
“Taoshi is my best,” Taran Zhu says. “I have sent her north to investigate what Gao-Ran says of… mantid that have somehow made it through the battlefront here. I need people I can trust to get out there and work with her to plug any holes in our defenses. Can I give you this task?”
"You can," Atley states, inclining his head.
"Of course!" says Arric.
"We are here to help," Kenelly says with a nod.
“If you could,” says Gao-Ran from behind Taran Zhu, “will you stop and speak with our herbalist, Septi? She needs hands to help gather supplies, if there are any among you who know plants.”
Shun nods. He knows plants.
Atley inclines his head to Gao-Ran. "F'course."
"Oi. What herbs do you need?" Shun bluntly asks Septi upon approaching.
“Oh, hello!” says Septi. “Are you here to help — uh. Oh."
“The mantid have a poison that chews through the skin and infects the blood. It makes for a slow, excruciating death when not treated. The pollen of the violet citron flowers around here is a critical ingredient in the remedy.
If you are going north, will you look for the flowers and bring some back for me?”
"Do excuse my comrade," Arric says warmly to Septi. "He is very direct, but he has a good heart."
Atley nods. "We'll bring you all that we come across."
"Violet citron?" Kenelly nods. "I think we'll be able to identify them."
Shun lifts his head a bit at the mention of a poison.
"I'll handle it, I know these flowers!" Peixin says.
"Let's get to it, then, you lot," Atley says.
Atley grunts. "Lookit; the size of the caterpillar."
Seeing bushes of bright flowers, Kenelly points. "Peixin, is this the violet citron?"
Arric makes a slight face at the caterpillar.
Rica looks hungrily at the caterpillar.
"Aren't they the cutest? I love them!" Peixin says, a loving look on her face. "Oh and those are the flowers, yes!"
Kenelly carefully harvests the flowers, tucking the samples into her herb pouch.
"Rica, do not eat the caterpillars," Arric says, pointing. "Peixin loves them."
Atley nudges it with a boot and a squint. "I refuse to look at these potential mantid incursions as an obstacle. Instead, they're an opportunity. We can handle two birds with one stone: draw enemies away from White Squad, and take on all the enemies < of the Steppes at once."
Rica looks at Peixin dubiously.
"Would like to keep a few extra samples on hand as well," Shun states.
Shun slowly nods at Atley.
"OH it's okay, if Rica wants to eat one of those catterpilars, I 'm fine with it. It's all part of nature, you know?" Peixin giggles.
"I don't know much of plants, but it's surely the work of some benevolent deity that the cure for the mantids' poison grows so near their points of attack."
says Arric.
Rica makes a grating sound at Arric to make sure he heard what Peixin said.
"Yes, Rica, I heard her. Fine, have a caterpillar if you like."
"Hell, I eat boiled puppas too!" Peixin grins.
"Extra samples are in order," Atley says, before jogging up to Taoshi.
Atley briefly looks back at Peixin as puppas as mentioned.
The scout Taoshi is crouched on a rock ahead, peering down into a scar-like pit in the earth. Mantid buzz back and forth.
Rica runs off to have a snacc.
Taoshi looks over her shoulder as the group approaches. She scans them, narrow-eyed, and then nods. “You look capable. Taran knows to send me the best. I like that.”
Atley nods. "Aye, that's us. Wot' needs doing?"
Arric darts off suddenly - a mantid has noticed Rica.
She turns to point with a blade at the mantid below. “Those are scouts. Gao-Ran’s Battlefront is meant to hold the mantid out of eastern Townlong Steppes. If these make it north of the barricade, we may lose our foothold here.
Let’s clear them out.”
"Please, no," Arric says, flushing. "It was Rica's mistake, I shall cover for her."
Arric looks displeased at Rica.
Atley turns and darts off after Arric as well. "Rica's, was it?" Atley asks with a growl, turning from the hunter to the raptor.
"She can get a bit… oblivious to her surroundings when feeding."
Arric explains.
"I've taken care of it. Please proceed, sir."
Atley points a finger of his gauntlet at Rica. "Stay with the group."
"Who doesn't?" Peixin asks, in defense of Rica.
Rica hangs her head.
"Nod to him, Rica," Arric says patientlly. Rica nods.
Atley tears his glare away from Rica and settles it on Taoshi. "We'll take care of it."
Kenelly coos at Rica. "He just worries for your safety, Rica."
Taoshi fades out of sight.
Arric looks deeply embarrassed.
Atley lets Arric sit in for a moment before lightly rasping his pauldron with a fist. "All sorted," he assures. "Let's get to work on the mantid."
"Of course!" says Arric.
Rica glances occasionally to Arric to see if he's still mad. He looks like he might still be mad. Rica chrrrrs.
Taoshi steps from the shadows to plant a dagger between the scout’s wings. “You should never have left the Dread Wastes, mantid,” she says.
Arric looks admiringly at Taoshi.
"It's sad that the antids are evil, because huge insects like that have the potential to be such cuties…" Peixin looks pensively.
Arric stares at Peixin. "…Cuties?"
"Cuties," Atley responds flatly, looking down at a mantid's corpse.
Shun raises a brow at Peixin.
"Cute? Hm…" Kenelly ponders. "I've never really thought of insects as cute. But…perhaps I can see it."
"I love bugs! Imagine these mantids, but kinder, gentler. Do you see the vision, now?" Peixin asks.
"You know, some of my friends growing up very much liked insects," Arric reflects. "I… did not agree."
"They are wretched to behold," Atley says.
“Take that message back to your queen, mantid,” Taoshi says contemptuously, and drops back into the shadows.
Shun carefully picks several clusters of the citrines. Some he places into his personal pouch.
"Hey, we all became friends with mist lurkers last time," Peixin shrugs. "Cute and wretched are subjective!"
"Indeed," Arric says noncommittally.
"I suppose that's a fair point," Kenelly says.
Atley grunts mildly before he glances up and doubletakes. "Oi. The sky."
Shun looks up.
"I imagine," Arric concedes, "that mantids are beautiful… to one another."
“What desperation makes them think they stand a chance past our lines?” Taoshi wonders.
"A good ques-" Arric begins, but Taoshi is gone.
"Sha," Shun deadpans a response.
"Our true enemy in Pandaria," Atley says disdainfully as he looks around.
"The sky?" Peixin is still looking up.
Arric taps his nose and points to Shun.
A Krik'thik Scentlayer attempts to sneak up on Atley, and gets Thunderfury applied to its temple.
"Aye, the sky. T'looks strange," Atley says.
"that doesn't make it our biggest enemy?.." Peixin raises an eyebrow at Dane.
The sharp report of Arric's rifle punctuates the intermittent skirmishes with mantid.
Atley scoffs quietly with amusement. "No. The Sha are our greatest enemy in Pandaria, from Pandaria. All the others are a symptom of their mischief — aside from the Horde."
"I see you have traded in the bow for a rifle again, Arric," Kenelly comments.
"Oh! Sorry!" Peixin winces. "I was still thinking about the sky!"
Atley grunts.
"Ah yes," Arric says to Kenelly. "I still have the bow, as it was a gift and I honor it, but I am just… much better with a rifle."
"It's good to have a bow as an option, though," Arric says, "when subtlety is needed."
Atley grunts.
Atley points out a slain Palewind yaungfol refugee. "Their will must be growing weak. Especially after these weeks."
"Ah, a good point," Kenelly says. "I suppose I never thought much about it. My father always hunted with a rifle. But…subtlety was never his strong suit."
"I have the feeling our fathers would have gotten along," Arric says dryly to Kenelly.
"You're missing out on something, when you're not using subtelty!" Peixin says, vanishing. She reappears next to Kenelly. "Subtlelty is kind of my whole thing."
"And you excel at it!" says Arric warmly.
Kenelly nods grimly to Arric…then flinches in surprise at Peixin and laughs.
"Why thank you!" Peixin beams, vanishing again, and reappearing behind a mantid, screeching as she stabs it in the back.
"Very subtle," Arric says playfully.
“Good work,” Taoshi says. “After you bring Septi her flowers, meet me at the eastern entrance to the blockade. We need to find the hole in the defenses and plug it.”
"Of course!" says Arric.
Atley looks to Taoshi and nods. "Let's move, you lot."
Shun nods once.
"We've gathered as much of the herb as we could find," Atley confirms with a stern nod.
Arric bows gallantly before Septi.
Septi’s expression floods with relief when she sees them. “Ah, good! Thank you, friends. My stores were dropping critically low. We are all grateful to you."
Kenelly opens her herb pouch to Septi. "I hope we got enough."
Septi the Herbalist takes a steadying breath and nods, "More than enough… Thank you!"
Atley nods, and turns to the others. "To Taoshi, you lot."
Taoshi is waiting with the other scout among the mantid corpses by the road. “This is Mao,” she says to the group without preamble. “And this is the gap where the mantid are getting in.” She points to the south.
Shun looks to the south.
Atley looks to the south and frowns.
Peixin looks to the south impassibly.
Arric looks at Taoshi, and smiles.
Kenelly looks to the south because everyone else is.
“We need to cut them off before we find ourselves surrounded.” Taoshi says. “Normally, it takes only a few scouts to hold this pass. Most of this territory is within sight of the wall, so archers would devastate any mantid force trying to push through here. Right now, though, our archers are occupied with the onslaught at the gate and farther south along the wall. Take these flares and use them to expose any stealthed mantid scouts sneaking through the pass. Kill any you find. We can’t let them lay a trail that might leads the swarm farther into the steppes.” She holds out a bunch of flares. “And while you’re out there — Mao tells me our current scouts have been on duty for more than two days without rest. No wonder mantid are slipping through. Deliver orders to any scouts you find that they are to return to the battlefront immediately for rest and rations. I will arrange for the new shift to be posted.”
"Of course!" says Arric.
Kenelly grins at Arric and adds her own, "Of course."
"To be fair, the mantids are a little early in their attacks," Peixin says. "I can see why they're not a priority yet."
Atley leans down to accept a flare. "A sound plan," he commends with a nod.
Mao speaks up. “We have traps set all along the pass to help catch mantid sneaking through. There are so many right now, though, that most of the traps have been triggered. Taoshi says you might be able to reset some while you’re out there?”
"Of course!" says Arric.
Taoshi and Mao exchange looks, and glance at Peixin. "Why aren't you in uniform?" Taoshi asks.
"Gee, if you want to see me in uniform so bad, just give me one already!" Peixin grins. "I'm not with the Shado Pan yet. I'm with these guys." She nods at her own tabard, pointing at Atley.
Atley grunts and nods. "She's with us." He looks to the squad. "Let's move."
"Arric — keep an eye out for trails. I doubt these Shado-Pan scouts'll be easy to find," Atley says.
Arric scans the area, squinting slightly.
"Have you got anything?" Atley asks, after the squad slays a number of scentlayers.
"This way," Arric says confidently, heading off.
"Other than blood on my hands?" Peixin shakes her head.
"On you," Atley says to Arric, before he looks to Peixin. "Mm? Wot's thajt?"
Shun vanishes from view.
Kenelly conjures up violent winds to try to disperse the scent trails.
Arric discovers a pandaren scout and bows to her in greeting, then admires her crossbow.
Atley peers at Kenelly and inclines his head. "Sharp thinking, Kenelly."
Peixin shows her hands full of mantid bloods. "I haven't picked up on anything except blood. Maybe a bruise, too, one of them hit me pretty bad."
Scout Long lowers her crossbow. “Let my replacement know that a lot of mantid have been trying to sneak through the main channel. This is no easy post. … Ugh, I need to lie down.”
"We'll pass it along. You've done your duty. Get back to the base," Atley says.
Arric spots another scout.
"Shun… Are you able to rearm these traps, then?" Atley asks.
Shun looks over the traps carefully, "More used to disarming but I shall see what I can do."
Atley grunts, and spots Scout Wei-Chin. He gives Arric a grim look of approval before addressing the Shado-Pan. "You're ordered to return for R&R, ranger. Get back to base."
“That’s even better news than I was hoping,” Scout Wei-chin says. “I look forward to a warm bed.”
Arric waves goodbye as he runs off.
Atley nods at Arric. "Find the others."
"I think I see more pandaren tracks here…" Arric murmurs.
Peixin makes sure those aren't hers. "Nope!"
"Aha!" Arric points.
Scout Ying’s position is a sheltered clearing at the base of the wall. She waits among mantid corpses, her blades warily unsheathed. Her expression brightens when she sees them. “Oh, friendly faces! Don’t suppose you’ve brought rations?”
"Rica, stay well behind me so you don't alarm the scouts, hm?"
Arric says to her. Rica nodnodnods, eager to show her obedience.
"I do, actually!" Peixin hands her some food.
"We have," Atley says to Scout Ying. "And orders. You're being recalled for rest and relaxation. Get back to base."
“Even better than rations!” Ying laughs. “Rest. I thought I’d be out here forever.”
"Who's skeletons are those?" Peixin says, kneeling beside a skeleton.
Atley watches Peixin take a knee. "Peixin?"
"Good question. They do not look like they would be pandaren bones…" Shun notes, eyeing the skulls in particular.
Arric is looking around again. "I think I see a trail leading west," he says. "Faint, they were careful."
"Hozen, maybe?" Shun shrugs.
"Right?" Peixin tilts her head. "And mantids shouldn't have skeletons. They're bugs."
"They have a skeleton… it is just on the outside," Shun notes.
Arric nods at Shun.
"This one's hlding a rose." Peixin turns to Kenelly. "Do you think you could make this place more… romantic for these two?"
Kenelly shifts to her human shape and kneels by the remains. "I could try."
The expression on Arric's face is transparently him realizing how long it's been since he wrote to his fiancee.
Peixin giggles at Shun. "I was talking about an innie skeleton, not an outie."
Kenelly takes the rose. She digs a small hole in the soil, and places the rose in it, covering it again. Pressing her hands to the earth, she murmurs an old Gilnean prayer. At first, nothing…then the ground begins to bloom with new flowers.
Arric smiles warmly at her.
Arric also turns away to dab at his eye for no reason. Dust and stuff.
Peixin looks in awe. "That's beautiful! Whoever they were, I'm sure they're delighted to see their new bed of flowers." Peixin smiles at Kenelly. "Or really pissed off, because they had bonded over their shared deadly allergy to roses."
Kenelly covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"I just hope they're at peace." Kenelly adds.
Arric clears his throat. "So, yes. West." He points.
Shun grunts.
Peixin smiles at Kenelly. "I'm sure they are." She claps her hands. "Le's go, Arric! Lead the way."
Atley eyes Peixin for a moment before nodding. "Well done."
The farther south they travel, the darker the landscape becomes, until all at once ahead of them the sha-scarred earth of the Dread Wastes appears, wreathed in eerie smoke. A column of mantid warriors and siege weapons throngs the road ahead, before the Gate of the Setting Sun.
"Basilisks!" Arric shouts unnecessarily.
"Ah shit…" Shun utters as he sees a swath of heavily sha corrupted land.
"Yuck," Peixin looks at the corrupted land.
"Is that a Sha corrupted tree?" Shun asks.
Arric stares at the glowing sha corruption.
Kenelly gawks at the ravaged landscape. "By the Light and Land…."
Atley's attention is drawn towards the massing mantid armies. "Aye. Have a look. Formations… Siege engines. This is a proper campaign. Launched too early, aye, but still…"
"This is where White Squad has been working, yes?" says Arric.
"Further south," Shun says.
"Aye. They broke the siege and are somewhere south of that mess," Atley says.
"I hope they're all right," Arric says a bit fretfully.
"I'm sure they are," Peixin says. "We are, why wouldn't they?"
"They are," Atley says, firmly clasping Arric on the shouilder.
"The Sha of Fear is the prevalent Sha force out there from what I have been told," Shun says.
Arric approaches the scout looking over the wastes and smiles warmly at him. "Doing all right?"
“I’ve never seen them in such numbers…” mutters Scout Jai-gan. “That swarm is what we have to look forward to. Ancestors help us if they decide to turn on the battlefront.”
Arric looks to Atley.
"Beyond our control," Atley says, stepping forward. "For now, you've been ordered to return to base, and rest."
Atley points at the invasion. "This burns bright, hot, and loud — but fast. It's a Sha-driven siege. Not orderly, not disciplined. Don't let the spectacle break your hearts. We're still winning."
"Of course!" says Arric.
"Back to the Battlefront," Atley says.
Shun grimly stares further south, beyond the corruption, for a few moments, then turns to follow the rest.
"Wait there, Rica," Arric says, pointing.
"Taoshi, Mao," Atley greets. "We reset the traps and relieved the scouts. Came across a fair number of mantids waging north."
Arric approaches Taoshi and bows. Rica waits nearby as asked, not looming.
“They are still getting through,” mutters Taoshi. “There are more than I thought. I may need to stay here and clean up. But you’ve more than done your part. The scouts and I all thank you. The new scouts are on their way out now.”
Mao nods to the group. “We could use a few more capable hands like you around the camp. Thanks for your help.”
“I know Taran wouldn’t want us to keep such valuable aid to ourselves out here for such basic work, though,” Taoshi says. “You’d better report back to him in the main camp. I’ll catch up with you later.”
"Did you have the time to prepare that uniform for me while we were away?" Peixin grins.
"Let's move," Atley says.
"Peixin…" Arric says chidlingly.
Taoshi produces a patient smirk and sets her hands on her hips.
"Sorry, you'll answer to my joke later, my teammates need me!" Peixin vanishes
Upon returning to the camp, Arric strides up to Taran Zhu and bows to him in the pandaren fashion.
Atley admires the weapons of the Gao-Ran Blackguards and nods.
“Welcome back,” says Taran Zhu. “Our returning scouts told us about the breaches in the eastern pass. It sounds like I put the right people on the job. Now that the situation there has eased, though, I need people to help Gao-ran’s men down on the southern front.”
"Lord Arric Falrevere again, if you don't recall," he says to Taran Zhu. "Reporting in with Blue Squad."
"Of course!" says Arric.
"Arric…" Peixin says chidlingly, imitating Arric's voice.
Atley deadpans Arric before looking to Taran Zhu. "We'll go sure it up," Atley says with a nod to the Lord of the Shado-Pan.
"What?" Arric says as they head out of earshot of Taran Zhu. "It's no use helping if he doesn't recall who we are."
"He doesn't need a full introduciton each time, Arric," Atley explains patiently.
Kenelly shrugs, "I don't see the harm in it."
"If he shows any signs of remembering me, I shall certainly stop," Arric says amiably.
"I think he knows who we are!" Peixin points at her tabard. "Plus he knows the Alliance very well. He had to stop the Sha from manifesting when they showed up the first time!"
“Friends!” Septi calls. “Cobalt Company!” She hurries to meet them, carrying a laden pack.
Kenelly snickers softly.
Shun looks over.
Atley looks to Septi.
Arric points triumphantly at Septi when she remembers the company name.
“I have heard Taran Zhu wishes to send you to the southern front. Our warriors down there are fighting to the point of exhaustion, and many have been exposed to the mantid poison. Please, will you take these bandages I’ve prepared with the herbal remedy, and get our men back on their feet so they can get back here safely?”
"Of course!" says Arric.
"Aye," Atley says, directing Kenelly to take the pack of herbal remedies and bandages.
"We are happy to help," Kenelly says, taking the herbal pack.
Septi hesitates. “I have another task, though it is a mite grisly. I really need to get to the bottom of this mantid poison, but to do that, I need more information directly from the source. While you’re down there, could you bring me back some mantid limbs, so that I can examine their intact poison glands?”
"That, I can do," Shun nods.
Atley grunts. "We'll get you the limbs."
Kenelly grimaces. "Limbs…?"
"Grisly work, indeed, but we do it for a purpose. To win this war," Atley says. "We'll take no extra pleasure in mutilating the curs."
"Let's bring you a live one!" Peixin says, her eyes shining with excitement.
Shun shrugs, "Whichever part contains their stinger."
“Thank you.” Septi smiles with anxiety. "Ah — yes. The limbs would do just fine."
Arric bows gallantly.
"Suit yourself," Peixin shrugs.
"Let's move," Atley says.
"Ah, look," Arric says, pointing to the ground. "It looks as though some of them come… pre-mutilated."
Atley looks over the battlefield with a glare, jaw set. He grows quiet for a moment. "This is encouraging," he states, without any sarcasm.
After shadowstepping to a mantid and stabbing them, he looks over the body to best guage where the venom sacs might be.
Arric aims his rifle at the center of the mantids' mass so that he can preserve the limbs as intact as possible.
Peixin shakes a whole mantid arm in the air. "Look! Look! I got one!"
"There we are, then, all sorted," Atley responds.
"It seems to be in the … extra blade in their forearms," Shun notes.
Atley snaps an arm in half over his knee and examines the blade. "Well found."
"You know, sometimes our missions are dangerous and deadly. But sometimes, it's nice to just hang out and go limbpicking in the woods with you guys," Peixin says, holding two mantid arms under her own arms.
Shun raises a brow.
Arric looks at Peixin as though she's speaking pandaren.
Atley grunts and points in the distance during a lull in combat. "Look. The mantid have diverted a number of their siege engines to wot' — besiege a lightly dug in encampment? They don't only spread themselves dangerously thin, but they don't spread themselves well, either. And they've done such a rubbish job of waging war that they're in the midst of a civil war. This bodes well for us all — namely White Squad," Atley says.
Peixin stares back. "Don't make me explain my jokes, please. I was kidding!"
Shun grunts.
Arric gets briefly surrounded by mantid, but Rica charges through, staggering them and then shredding them with her teeth while he slips away.
Once they're in the Gao-Ran Battlefront proper, Atley produces The Lion Horn of Stormwind and lets out a low, resounding note before charging into the fray.
"Aaah, music to my ears!" Peixin says.
Arric provides percussion to the sound of the horn. Bang, bang.
Peixin mimicks the sound of a trumpet. They're a marching band, now!
"Wounded on the battlefield," Shun points out.
"Get to them," Atley says.
"Kenelly, see to these injured," Atley says.
"Bzz bzzz! I'm a mantid!" Peixin says, having stolen the appearance of one. "Was that convincing? Could I infiltate their ranks?"
Kenelly nods firmly, "Of course, Sir," and kneels to tend to a wounded blackguard.
Atley scoffs with amusement. "With some time, 'praps."
Shun nearly stabs Peixin and stops. He deadpans.
"Careful there, don't turn the pointy bit at an ally!" Peixin grins as a mantid. A mantid grin.
"Perhaps avoid changing your form to that of an enemy in an active battlefield," Shun says flatly.
Atley shield bashes a charging Krik'thik Limbpincer so hard its head crunches open.
"Without prior warning."
"I warned you! I said bzz bzz!" Peixin giggles.
Atley doubletakes Peixin. "How've you done this?"
Shun continues to deadpan at her.
"I learned a few pandaren spells," Peixin says. "I'm great at impersonating people, too!"
"Lose the diguise as we return," Atley says. "Shun's right. It's too bloody dangerous."
Peixin gives Dane a mantid thumbs up.
Peixin fights mantidly.
"Let's move. We've done enough. Time to report to Taran Zhu," Atley says.
Peixin vanishes. She reappears as a Pandaren further down the road.
Septi rises to her feet from where she has been crouched by an injured fighter’s side. She smiles warmly. “Thank you, my friends. Several of these warriors owe you their lives.”
Atley nods at Septi before looking to the squad. "We've also a number of the limbs."
Arric smiles warmly.
Kenelly has quietly allowed others to carry the severed limbs.
"It was our honor to aid you," Arric says.
“Oh! These are in wonderful condition! I will have a great deal of poison to work with. Thank you!” Septi beams like a person who has just been handed a bunch of severed insect parts. Which is more than you’d expect.
Atley inclines his head to Septi and removes his helmet, marching off to meet Taran Zhu.
"Wait there, Rica," Arric says, pointing.
Taran Zhu is waiting with arms folded. He nods once at Cobalt’s approach. “The men of the battlefront are growing to respect you. You clearly know how to fight.”
Arric gives Lord Zhu a deep, respectful pandaren bow.
Atley meets Taran Zhu's gaze and inclines his head. "That we do. Call upon us when there's more to do, my lord."
Taran Zhu stares at each of them, unflinching with those folded arms.
Shun deadpans a bit at Taran Zhu talking as if some of the folks here hadn't saved his butt back at the monastery.
"Squad, on me," Atley says.
"Sir Atley the Red, our commander, is committed to putting Cobalt Company's Blue Squad at your disposal, Lord Zhu," Arric says. Since Lord Zhu clearly has memory problems, he is helping.
"Light and balance aid us in our fight," Peixin says, mimicking Kenelly's voice.
Atley scoffs with amusement at Arric, and briefly glances back at Taran Zhu. "He's bloody stubborn. We've more than earned his respect — and support. Honor demands it, but we don't. In time, he'll have no choice but to acknowledge wot' we've done here," Atley says. "For now, I'll do that. Each of you have fought well. We're carrying this invasion forward. The yaungols'll yield or be driven straight into the bloody sea, along with the mantid. Until then, dismissed."
Arric looks pleased at the thought of being eventually acknowledged.
Arric salutes respectfully.
Shun grunts, then goes to assist Septi with distilling mantid venom.
Atley returns the salute.
"Sir Dane, can you grunt for me one second?" Peixin asks, looking at him very seriously.
"Why." Atley asks.
"I'm trying to nail your voice, for my impersonations," she beams. "I know your grunts are a huge part of the whole 'Sir Dane' kit, I need to hear it again to practice."
"Grunting is also part of the 'Shun' kit, but it's a different kind of grunts." Peixin says. "His are more like…" she grunts in a similar voice as Shun. "Yours are like…" she gruns Danely, but it's not quite as perfect.
Atley grunts. Then blinks. "… There you are then."
Peixin leans forward as he grunts. "Okay, thanks!" She turns around, grunting a few times. "Ah! Got it!" She grunts again. "Come, I'll grab us our bloody lunch."
Atley stares at her for a moment, thinking, before he says. "I can eat."
Peixin grunts. "On me, then."
Atley eyes her mildly. "Steady on.”
Peixin giggles.