Allyk, Gazam, Meridia, & Mul'Zeb

Between the zeppelin and the road to Orgrimmar, you all catch each other's eye.

The orc guard conversing with Meridia seems to have a smug smile barely form. "If you're going to infiltrate Ashenvale, then you could easily keep an eye out for anyone trying to infiltrate our lands."

Gazam and Mul'Zeb see guards of various horde races patrolling the area, with three interacting with a robed blood elf and an undead with a rifle slung over his shoulder.

The orc guard gives you all a toothy grin. "It's set then! Use that scroll as passage through the Barrens." He motions to a scroll Meridia held. "You will be rewarded for your trouble." If there are no more questions, he and his guards leave, patrolling the area and questioning any newcomers.

There's a few options here.
1. You can go into Orgrimmar for whatever you might need/want.
2. You can leave immediately on your journey through Durotar and then the Barrens before infiltrating Ashenvale.
3. Whatever else you might want. It's your story.

The guard informs you the scroll is to claim the reward for the mage's capture.

With a measure of curiosity You realise you're a Forsaken right?

As the group heads into the dry, rocky landscape of Durotar, Gazam's desire to find the mage has him at the front of the group, Mul'Zeb and Meridia close behind, and Allyk trailing slightly. Instead of taking the longer but safer route through Razor Hill, the group takes a more direct path through the area. After only a few hours, the Southfury River comes into view. The occasional pack of wild boar scurry out of your way, but it's not until you get much matter to the water that you spot signs of trouble: Quilboar.
What appears to be a hunting party of 4 are preoccupied by a crocolisk they've tempted out of the river.

Their attention no longer focused on the hunt, the Quilboar gather their gear and the captured (now dead) crocolisk. They turn, walking toward you, oblivious to your presence - for now.

As the Quilboar approach, you notice there are many large rocks to block line of sight between you and the hunters, if you so choose. Otherwise, the are coming into the rocky area, straight to you.

Allyk whispers softly Anyone know how these things taste?

The rocks serve you well. The Quilboar pass you by, oblivious to your presence.
Crossing the river, your journey through the Barrens is largely uneventful. Plainstriders and zhevra graze, and the occasional outpost offers rest and work, if you so choose it.
Otherwise, you eventually see the trees of Ashenvale's forests loom on the horizon. A sort of gateway or small outpost marks the boundary of territories. There are guards, but it seems they're only interested in anything coming from the trees, not into them.

As your group approaches the gate, a guard turns to acknowledge you. He seems to be the one in charge, judging by his armor. "If you go into Ashenvale, be alert." His tone is grim and serious. "The Night Elves hide among the trees. They might ambush you, or pick you off one by one." His gaze settles over Meridia for a moment before shaking his head. You overhear him say something about how all elves are strange looking before he goes back to his vigil over the border.

The orc turns back around to you. "Wait! Are you after the Alliance mage? Word spread of her stowing away on a zepplin to Orgrimmar." He growls angrily, clutching his axe handle jutting from its hip holster. "This insult cannot stand! Teach the bitch her place." He gives you a cruel smile before turning back to his vigil.

*~{(QUEST ACCEPTED)}~*Meridia begrudgingly agrees to stay together - for now, she claims. The old adage "strength in numbers" rings in her head. Stepping into the forest, it quickly thickens as you walk along the road. The first turn your path takes completely cuts off view to the orc patrolled border. Sounds of the forest and your own footfalls are all you hear for quite some time.
The sudden silence of everything in the forest stops you in your tracks. In a matter of heartbeats, you see a towering creature of rock and green fire crashing through the trees, thrashing its way to you. Various magical energies and a spray of bullets assault the creature as it swings its limbs around itself before turning around to face the way it came only to be met with a hail of arrows. After several exchanges between your party and the creature with arrows seeming to fire from the trees themselves, the creature falls. The stones that made up the bulk of its body bounce and scatter as its fel fire is snuffed out.
Slowly, the sounds of the forest return as a lone female night elf steps out of the shadows to glare at you all. It appears as though she is about to say something just as an unearthly roar echoes through the trees, once again silencing the forest. The next and last thing you see of the elf is a blur of motion, rustling branches following close behind her.
You have a brief moment of silence as you fully comprehend what just happened: there are demons in Ashenvale.
As you're about to continue your journey, the sound of a snapping twig brings your attention to the demon's path of destruction. A blonde high elf In white robes with blue trim nervously looks around. "Excuse me! You wouldn't happen to see some night elf Sentinels chasing demons, would you?" Introductions are made and it turns out this is Thalnazz Whitesong, Priest of the Holy Light. Since this is who Meridia is searching for, she convinces the rest of the party to follow them to Silverwing Outpost.
{[(LEVEL UP)]}