She was dropped off at the edge of the forest. For a brief moment, Thorvi could think all was well. There was a cool breeze taking off the edge of the summer heat, the smell of moss and trees and the sound of water just off in the distance.
Seconds later everything else rolled over her.
She was familiar with the scents and sounds of the battlefield, and it came rolling through the trees like a storm cloud. Soot and smoke, so much of it, followed by clanking and shouting and whiffs of oil. The only freshness was of dirt turned up by the grinding and dragging goblin machines, and even here she could see where there were long marks in bark and broken branches and stomping footsteps of the enemy on the march.
A quick second later she did her best to fade into the underbrush, as much as she could. She grabbed the hood they have given her and pulled it low over her head, covering the blonde bun, and took a moment to smear dirt over the pale skin of her face. Good gods. What was this. *Good gods*. Where to even begin to look for her friend.
Thorvi glanced at the scroll the nice lady Mereth had given her. One side was a map of Ashenvale, the other side instructions on what to scout for. She took out the little pencil and dutifully noted what she had seen and smelled in the area down, then peered at the map. Very faint, disguised as trees meant to denote the forest, were the last known locations of some of the scouts. She took out a compass and aligned herself…there. One finger traced from where she had been dropped to the first tree, then further…Was that it, that small town? She wrinkled her nose. There was a lot of green around that town, indicating forsaken. Yuck.
The trip was not easy. Thorvi could not remember simply getting from one place by sneaking could be so *hard*. This only increased Joii’s standing in her eyes. Her friend was a very, very sneaky person indeed to do this for a living! As it was, she only got by on luck and instinct, at one point flinging herself face first into the mud when she wandered to close to a patrol, but…well, they didn’t seem to be looking very well. Goodness. There was so many of them though.
And then the undead. She eyeballed the town from the leaves, narrowing her eyes. They appeared…sharper then some of the others. Much more wary. No, not this way. It was too well guarded. Where would Joii go…sneaky Joii…the river, there, yes maybe. Hide her scent in the water, or hide in the leaves…
Thorvi stuck her tongue out in concentration, circling the perimeter, searching, watching, looking for her friend.
*Don’t worry, best friend Joii. I will rescue you, I promise.*
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