Give a dog his bone - short story
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 4:35 pm
This story introduces the daughter of Rendir and Salaina, Aylee. You can see my sig to see these toons.
"I'm going to Everlook to pick up some things, I'll be back in an hour or two!" Salaina yelled, her voice trailing throughout the house. Rendir was tucked away in a back room, tending to some leathers and hides he was planning on selling.
"Alright! I'll be back here! Doing.. stuff..." Rendir heard the door close, but never broke his concentration from his work.
Time passed, and things were quiet as Rendir steadily worked on his hides. Not a sound was heard, and nothing could break his fixation. That is, until he heard the ever so light footsteps coming down the hall. Closer and closer they tip toed, until they were right outside his door.
"Hi Aylee." He said nonchalantly. Aylee huffed at being caught.
"You're no fun, can't sneak up on you." Rendir smiled, pointed to his long elven ears, and continued his work. "Oh I'll scare ya someday."
Rendir smiled, "Whatcha ya need, baby?"
Aylee walked over and plopped her arms and head on his shoulder, watching him work. "My birthday is coming up, daddy."
"Yes it is..." Rendir replied, trying to clean a particular stubborn piece of leather. "17 wonderful years next month."
"Yeah but... I know what I want, and I need it now." Rendir laughed at boldness.
"What do you need so badly?"
"A pet." She replied. Rendir stopped and looked up at Aylee puzzled.
"A pet? Baby you got hundreds of pets, you bring them home every day."
"No no, a special pet. Only one you can get for me. You can tame anything can't you?"
Rendir chuckle a bit as he continued his work. "A lot of things, I guess. Some critters are just too stubborn though... like your mother." Aylee laughed.
"I don't know why you're laughing, you're the same way..." Rendir continued. "Always running off and staying in the forest---" His voice trailed and he stopped for a moment. He turned to look at Aylee.
"You need this now because you're going somewhere next month, aren't you?" He said to Aylee. She leaned off his shoulder and shied away to a stool against the nearby wall. "Aylee..." he pleaded, but he knew it was no use. He spun around and looked at her. "Tell me about the pet."
"Well..." she perked up, "When I went to Azuremyst-"
"You've been to Azuremyst?!" Rendir interrupted.
"Yeah, about 6 times now."
"Baby, that's alliance territory, you can't just..."
"Daddy, stop worrying. I can take care of myself." Rendir sighed and motioned for her to continue. "I saw this beast there, it was big like a bear, but had a worg's head!" Rendir looked puzzled at her. "But thats not all, it had TWO heads!"
"Two heads? Aylee, have you been sneaking some of daddy's junglevine?"
"No daddy, I've seen a couple of them up there! Their coat is silvery white, they are so beautiful! I tried to tame one but it was more interested in eating me."
Rendir sat back in his chair considering this creature. He had heard of large two headed creatures that skilled beast master's could tame, but they were fiery behemoths in the heart of the mountains, not some furry two headed dog.
"OK..." Aylee squeed loudly, jumped up and hugged Rendir tightly. "...whoa now, theres some things we have to figure out. I am going to busy today selling these leathers in Orgrimmar. We will have to do it tomorrow." Aylee bounced around in excitement.
"There is one thing..." She said, her excitement coming down. Rendir looked at her curiously.
"I can get us there and back safely, but my friend has to go with us."
Rendir exclaimed in disgust. "I am not going on a trip with that boy."
"He has to, daddy! He has a hearthstone that can take us there!"
"A hearthstone? How did he... You know what? I don't want to know. Aylee, you know I don't like him."
"You just don't like him because he's undead." Aylee huffed, crossing her arms and sitting on the stool again.
"I don't like him because he's shifty. Don't trust rogues, nary a one. Steal you blind while you're watching."
"He's different daddy. Just give him another chance! I can't tame this thing by myself, I might get hurt. And Skags is the only way I can get out of that place." Aylee knew just what to say, and Rendir knew if he didn't help her, she was going to get herself hurt trying to tame this beast.
"OK he can go..." Aylee squeed again. "...but he better stay out of my way and keep his mouth shut."
"We have to meet him in Tirisfall, is that OK?"
"Fine, I can secure us a port tomorrow."
"Thanks daddy!" Aylee hugged him again and ran out of the room. Rendir spun around in his chair and went back to working on his leathers. A few minutes passed.
"What was that about." Salaina said as she walked in and sat on the same stool.
"Oh hey, you're home." Rendir said, a little surprised at how quickly the time passed. "Aylee wants me to tame her a pet for her birthday." He said as he stacked the leathers.
"Her birthday isn't for another month."
"I know, I know... I just can't tell her no."
Salaina smiled. "She as tough as an old oak board until she wants something from you, then shes as sweet as pie... and you melt in her hand." but he didn't reply, only looked down.
"We're going to Azuremyst." He finally said.
"Azuremyst?! That's-"
"Alliance, I know. I told her that. Shes been there several times apparently. Saw a white two headed beast, big as a bear with heads of a worg."
"Kurkens. They're dangerous, Ren."
"You've heard of them?" Ren turned to Salaina.
"Yeah. You can probably tame it."
"I've never tamed something with two faces before." Rendir said, scratching his head.
"When are you going?" She asked.
"Tomorrow. Probably going to be gone all day." Salaina acknowledge his words, and got up quietly and walked to the door.
"Do you want to come to?" Ren asked. Salaina shook her head slightly.
"She didn't mention me coming. I need to stay here anyway, make sure Sol and Ollis don't tear the place down."
Rendir saw the hurt in her eyes, stood up and walked over to her. Putting his arms around her, "She loves you, Salaina. She's just... stubborn."
After the short embrace, Salaina walked back toward the kitchen and Rendir filled his satchel with his load of hides and leathers.
Walking toward the kitchen, satchel over his shoulder, he walked up toward Salaina. "I will be back a little later tonight." Salaina kissed him on the cheek and Rendir left.
Salaina walked outside a few moments later to tend to some of the animals, when she saw Aylee playing in the snow with Emilee, Rendir's snow white frostsaber.
"Aylee, I need to talk to you!" Salaina yelled. Aylee's annoyance with being disturbed was apparent as she walked over.
"What?" Aylee said sharply.
"Your father told me about your trip tomorrow."
"Great..." Aylee exclaimed. "And I guess you talked him out of it?"
"No, no..." Salaina continued. "I know someone on Azuremyst. I can arrange a port and safe passage until Ren can tame it for you. I don't know how you've gotten there in the past, but this is much safer."
Aylee cocked her head a little. "You're... helping me?" Salaina shook her head and smiled a little.
"Th-Thanks, mom." Aylee finally responded after a few silent moments of shock. "That's really nice."
Aylee turned and walked back over to Emilee, and begun playing with her again. Salaina watched them for a moment, not sure how to feel about the moment.
"It's at least a step.." she said to herself. "a step in the right direction."
"I'm going to Everlook to pick up some things, I'll be back in an hour or two!" Salaina yelled, her voice trailing throughout the house. Rendir was tucked away in a back room, tending to some leathers and hides he was planning on selling.
"Alright! I'll be back here! Doing.. stuff..." Rendir heard the door close, but never broke his concentration from his work.
Time passed, and things were quiet as Rendir steadily worked on his hides. Not a sound was heard, and nothing could break his fixation. That is, until he heard the ever so light footsteps coming down the hall. Closer and closer they tip toed, until they were right outside his door.
"Hi Aylee." He said nonchalantly. Aylee huffed at being caught.
"You're no fun, can't sneak up on you." Rendir smiled, pointed to his long elven ears, and continued his work. "Oh I'll scare ya someday."
Rendir smiled, "Whatcha ya need, baby?"
Aylee walked over and plopped her arms and head on his shoulder, watching him work. "My birthday is coming up, daddy."
"Yes it is..." Rendir replied, trying to clean a particular stubborn piece of leather. "17 wonderful years next month."
"Yeah but... I know what I want, and I need it now." Rendir laughed at boldness.
"What do you need so badly?"
"A pet." She replied. Rendir stopped and looked up at Aylee puzzled.
"A pet? Baby you got hundreds of pets, you bring them home every day."
"No no, a special pet. Only one you can get for me. You can tame anything can't you?"
Rendir chuckle a bit as he continued his work. "A lot of things, I guess. Some critters are just too stubborn though... like your mother." Aylee laughed.
"I don't know why you're laughing, you're the same way..." Rendir continued. "Always running off and staying in the forest---" His voice trailed and he stopped for a moment. He turned to look at Aylee.
"You need this now because you're going somewhere next month, aren't you?" He said to Aylee. She leaned off his shoulder and shied away to a stool against the nearby wall. "Aylee..." he pleaded, but he knew it was no use. He spun around and looked at her. "Tell me about the pet."
"Well..." she perked up, "When I went to Azuremyst-"
"You've been to Azuremyst?!" Rendir interrupted.
"Yeah, about 6 times now."
"Baby, that's alliance territory, you can't just..."
"Daddy, stop worrying. I can take care of myself." Rendir sighed and motioned for her to continue. "I saw this beast there, it was big like a bear, but had a worg's head!" Rendir looked puzzled at her. "But thats not all, it had TWO heads!"
"Two heads? Aylee, have you been sneaking some of daddy's junglevine?"
"No daddy, I've seen a couple of them up there! Their coat is silvery white, they are so beautiful! I tried to tame one but it was more interested in eating me."
Rendir sat back in his chair considering this creature. He had heard of large two headed creatures that skilled beast master's could tame, but they were fiery behemoths in the heart of the mountains, not some furry two headed dog.
"OK..." Aylee squeed loudly, jumped up and hugged Rendir tightly. "...whoa now, theres some things we have to figure out. I am going to busy today selling these leathers in Orgrimmar. We will have to do it tomorrow." Aylee bounced around in excitement.
"There is one thing..." She said, her excitement coming down. Rendir looked at her curiously.
"I can get us there and back safely, but my friend has to go with us."
Rendir exclaimed in disgust. "I am not going on a trip with that boy."
"He has to, daddy! He has a hearthstone that can take us there!"
"A hearthstone? How did he... You know what? I don't want to know. Aylee, you know I don't like him."
"You just don't like him because he's undead." Aylee huffed, crossing her arms and sitting on the stool again.
"I don't like him because he's shifty. Don't trust rogues, nary a one. Steal you blind while you're watching."
"He's different daddy. Just give him another chance! I can't tame this thing by myself, I might get hurt. And Skags is the only way I can get out of that place." Aylee knew just what to say, and Rendir knew if he didn't help her, she was going to get herself hurt trying to tame this beast.
"OK he can go..." Aylee squeed again. "...but he better stay out of my way and keep his mouth shut."
"We have to meet him in Tirisfall, is that OK?"
"Fine, I can secure us a port tomorrow."
"Thanks daddy!" Aylee hugged him again and ran out of the room. Rendir spun around in his chair and went back to working on his leathers. A few minutes passed.
"What was that about." Salaina said as she walked in and sat on the same stool.
"Oh hey, you're home." Rendir said, a little surprised at how quickly the time passed. "Aylee wants me to tame her a pet for her birthday." He said as he stacked the leathers.
"Her birthday isn't for another month."
"I know, I know... I just can't tell her no."
Salaina smiled. "She as tough as an old oak board until she wants something from you, then shes as sweet as pie... and you melt in her hand." but he didn't reply, only looked down.
"We're going to Azuremyst." He finally said.
"Azuremyst?! That's-"
"Alliance, I know. I told her that. Shes been there several times apparently. Saw a white two headed beast, big as a bear with heads of a worg."
"Kurkens. They're dangerous, Ren."
"You've heard of them?" Ren turned to Salaina.
"Yeah. You can probably tame it."
"I've never tamed something with two faces before." Rendir said, scratching his head.
"When are you going?" She asked.
"Tomorrow. Probably going to be gone all day." Salaina acknowledge his words, and got up quietly and walked to the door.
"Do you want to come to?" Ren asked. Salaina shook her head slightly.
"She didn't mention me coming. I need to stay here anyway, make sure Sol and Ollis don't tear the place down."
Rendir saw the hurt in her eyes, stood up and walked over to her. Putting his arms around her, "She loves you, Salaina. She's just... stubborn."
After the short embrace, Salaina walked back toward the kitchen and Rendir filled his satchel with his load of hides and leathers.
Walking toward the kitchen, satchel over his shoulder, he walked up toward Salaina. "I will be back a little later tonight." Salaina kissed him on the cheek and Rendir left.
Salaina walked outside a few moments later to tend to some of the animals, when she saw Aylee playing in the snow with Emilee, Rendir's snow white frostsaber.
"Aylee, I need to talk to you!" Salaina yelled. Aylee's annoyance with being disturbed was apparent as she walked over.
"What?" Aylee said sharply.
"Your father told me about your trip tomorrow."
"Great..." Aylee exclaimed. "And I guess you talked him out of it?"
"No, no..." Salaina continued. "I know someone on Azuremyst. I can arrange a port and safe passage until Ren can tame it for you. I don't know how you've gotten there in the past, but this is much safer."
Aylee cocked her head a little. "You're... helping me?" Salaina shook her head and smiled a little.
"Th-Thanks, mom." Aylee finally responded after a few silent moments of shock. "That's really nice."
Aylee turned and walked back over to Emilee, and begun playing with her again. Salaina watched them for a moment, not sure how to feel about the moment.
"It's at least a step.." she said to herself. "a step in the right direction."
