The cold wind howled, and the forest was shrouded in silence, with the occasional squirrel flickering across the branches. The desolate path had long been abandoned by travelers. At the intersection of the forest trails lay a small town, where a few cottages huddled close together, their blue roofs reflecting off the adjacent lake. The blacksmith's forge at the head of the town had long been extinguished, not even a spark remained, and the sound of hammering was nowhere to be found.
A traveler draped in a black cloak led a massive black horse with white hooves, burdened with luggage (it was called a "giant horse" because of its enormous size, rivaling that of the draenei's colossal statues). Strangely, however, the horse was equipped with everything one could need for a journey, except for one thing—weapons. There wasn't even a single dagger.
"Ah Hei, this is Goldshire. Why does it look so different from what I imagined? It's so desolate, it feels even worse than the outskirts of our city," the traveler said to the horse. The only response was the horse's snort. Eventually, they arrived at the center of the town, in front of a house that was neither too small nor too large, with a blue roof and white brick walls. The only difference was the light shining from its windows. The sign above the door indicated it was an inn—The Lion's Pride.
Pushing open the door, which emitted a warm yellow light, a wave of heat rushed out, accompanied by the aroma of wine and meat. The traveler was taken aback by the scene before him—stalwart men with bared torsos engaged in drinking contests, and young, beautiful waitresses weaving through the crowd with trays, occasionally eliciting a whistle or two.
"Is this the right scene? It seems I've come to the right place," the traveler said with a smile, making his way through the crowd to the bar.
"What can I get for you?" the innkeeper asked warmly. "We have fine malt beer, deliciously roasted wild boar, and freshly baked bread right out of the oven."
"Uh, I'll have one of each," the traveler replied nonchalantly, finding a seat and pulling down his hood to reveal a young, fair face. His gray, short hair made him look even more spirited, and his light blue eyes were as deep as ever.
Alpha exhaled sharply, rubbing his hands together as he complained, "The weather is getting decidedly colder." At that moment, the innkeeper brought over food and drink, responding, "Indeed, winter is almost upon us. The bitter winds from Dun Morogh have arrived. You seem to be an adventurer? Where are you headed?"
"I've heard there's a wilderness to the west. I'm bound for that region. Do you know how long it will take to get there?" Alpha inquired while eating his meal.
"The wilderness to the west, ah, Westfall, you say. What business do you have there? I've heard it's haunted; there have been several deaths. Most of the locals have fled, leaving the already desolate land even more forsaken. Adventurers are reluctant to venture there," the innkeeper remarked, his tone filled with surprise.
"Haunted? How intriguing. Thank you for the information," Alpha said nonchalantly. "By the way, how much do I owe you?"
"70 copper coins, young man. Heed my advice and stay away from there. It's not as simple as you might think. There have been adventurers like you who have ventured there and were never heard from again," the innkeeper warned.
"Don't worry, and by the way, your roasted meat is excellent. I'll be back for more when I return," Alpha said as he rose to leave.
"I say, innkeeper, why are you so concerned today? These young whippersnappers need toughening up. Let them face some hardship," a burly man slurred to the innkeeper, holding a tankard of ale.
The innkeeper glanced at him and continued clearing the plates. "Hold your tongue, Hans. Can't you see this young man is different? Have you ever seen a traveler who doesn't carry a single weapon? And have you noticed the marks on his leather armor? These aren't the work of ordinary beasts."
Hans dismissed the concern. "Innkeeper, you're overthinking it. Just wait and see, this young pup will likely slink back in a few days, tail between his legs, haha. Pour me another, this ale is excellent."
"Ah Hei, why is it that I always end up with missions that seem simple yet are so devilishly complex? I must protest to the king; I need a raise. How am I supposed to survive otherwise? Though, the bread and roasted meat were quite good; it's just the wine that was subpar. Mulberry wine is so much more palatable. Give me some feedback, will you?" "Humph," was the only response he received.
Two days later, in front of a fortress, Alpha was leading Ah Hei and scouting the area. "Westfall Keep, it's truly desolate. Ah, there's a wanted poster—Gnoll—Hogger. A bounty of 10 gold, that's quite a sum, but unfortunately, I don't have the time right now."
"The fortress pass is closed, temporarily not open," the guard shouted loudly.
Upon hearing this, Alpha's brow furrowed: "Temporarily not open, this is troublesome." Alpha approached the guard and asked, "Excuse me, sir, may I inquire what has happened and if you could inform me?" He discreetly slipped a silver coin to the guard, who smoothly pocketed it and said, "What else could it be but the wanted poster causing trouble? The gnoll has gathered a bunch of minions ahead, and our forces are insufficient to wipe them out. We can only wait for reinforcements. It's a pity for those coming from Westfall, they can't even escape their fate." With that, the guard returned to his post at the intersection.
It seemed Alpha would have to resolve this issue before he could proceed. "I sigh in my heart, 'Who can blame me for being so kind? It's just Hogger's bad luck.'" So, Alpha tethered Ah Hei to a nearby tree and stealthily departed.
Watching the distant bonfires, tents, and the gnolls pacing back and forth, Alpha couldn't help but feel overwhelmed: "So many of them; Hogger is quite afraid of death, but unfortunately, he encountered me." Alpha grinned. "Great Aman'Thul, god of the wilderness, I am your faithful follower, once again invoking your power, grant me the swiftness of a cheetah. Incarnation - Cheetah."
With a flash of green light, Alpha vanished from the spot, replaced by a grey and white cheetah. Unlike the cheetahs summoned by ordinary druids, Alpha's form was larger, with a distinctive mane around its neck, lion-like in appearance.
Alpha turned his head to look, pleased with the result. "Not bad, I still need more practice; I could be faster. It's a pity my time in Moonglade was too short, but this is enough." Indeed, Alpha was a druid, more specifically, a fledgling druid (due to the worgen curse, worgen possess unparalleled talent in learning druidic magic).
The cheetah's form gradually turned transparent—a stealth ability, fundamental to the feline's repertoire. Alpha navigated cautiously through a group of gnolls, treading lightly. As he was about to clear the throng, a snap—Alpha froze, a paw having landed on a brittle branch. All gnolls turned towards the sound; for a moment, the world held its breath. Beads of sweat gathered on Alpha's brow. He braced for combat, but the gnolls resumed their patrol as if nothing had happened.
"Phew," Alpha exhaled, relieved. "That was close. Thank goodness these gnolls aren't too perceptive; I'd have been swarmed otherwise." He proceeded with even greater caution, finally spotting his target atop a small hillock—Hogger.
Hogger, a massive figure, wielded a musket, his mouth filled with sharp tusks and a scarlet tongue that occasionally lolled out. He paced around the bonfire, occasionally howling into the night.
"Fool," Alpha muttered, "exposing your position so carelessly." Despite his words, he approached Hogger with utmost vigilance. When Hogger turned his back, Alpha struck without hesitation, a swift blow to the neck—Rake, causing Hogger to fall into a daze with blood spurting forth. Alpha followed up with a ferocious bite, racking up wounds on Hogger's body.
With a roar, Hogger awoke, firing his musket into Alpha's left hand, blood gushing forth. Undeterred, Alpha seized the moment while Hogger reloaded and lunged, his dual claws raking down in a blur—Furious Swipe (a finishing move, Alpha's solitary lethal technique). Blood exploded from Hogger's body with a "bang," and he collapsed. Alpha fell too, raising a cloud of dust. When the dust settled, a man and a beast lay motionless on the ground, unmoving for a long while...