Feraleye's Fall

Kozgugore Feraleye,

Your presence has been requested in Orgrimmar. Report in at General Spinecleaver in the Hall of the Brave to review your recent service to the Horde and to receive your new orders with due haste. You are to be expected as soon as hostilities in the Jade Forest have ceased and your work is considered done.

For the Horde,
General Jorak Spinecleaver

The letter was delivered to Kozgugore during his time as a part of the Horde forces in the Jade Fist campaign, carried by an elf messenger on his way to Domination Point in Krasarang Wilds. The Chieftain received letters like these often enough, but there was something about the tone of the contents of this one, and in the look in the messenger’s eyes, that revealed well in advance that this wouldn’t be any ordinary meeting. No doubt it may have something to do with his share of leadership during the campaign, among which the treaty he made with the Alliance and the Shado-pan. It no doubt went against the wishes of some of the generals back in Orgrimmar, or even the Warchief himself. Whatever it may be, there was no turning back now. He had arrived, and just as it had been when he last left its walls behind, its streets were bustling with activity, ever-preparing for the war that was being waged from afar.

Craftsmen were hard at work with the many tools of war, and though just as many of them were working on the more common products as well, like leather for bags and furs for cloaks, he knew that even these were to be prepared for the war effort, instead of being used in someone else’s daily life. War had taken a firm grip upon most of Orgrimmar, it would seem, and it was clearly not inclined in the slightest to let go. As he made his way to the Valley of Honour, he could see the Blackrock warriors and warlocks alike walk through the Drag, going unopposed as they chased away a few resting citizen from their resting place. There’s hardly such a thing as ‘rest’ in these times – not until the Alliance and all its allies would be defeated. As he entered the Valley, the very air was thick with orc sweat, grunts and Kor’kron alike exercising around on the open grounds around the Hold. Taskmasters barked at them, preparing them to fight the Alliance by cutting into Durotar’s humid air. Kozgugore noted some of them could barely be considered as adults, let alone teens, as they were being drilled on the spot. Truly everyone was being put to use in order to serve the Warchief’s war efforts. He had not seen such sights since the orcs’ days on the Homelands, where they had the decency to at least have the warlocks drain the younglings of their youth before they were sent off with barely any training into the fight.

He forced himself to return his attention to the matter at hand. A guard peered at him questioningly, willing enough to act as a guide through the structure. Kozgugore raised a dismissive hand, knowing his way through the metal structure by now as he had been summoned here to stand in front of tall-standing commanders before. Surely enough, he soon found himself standing in front of one of them, walking into a room guarded by two Kor’kron on either side of the entrance. General Spinecleaver stood in front of a map, that of Pandaria, when he after a moment of silence bothered to look up to his visitor. ‘Ah, Feraleye,’ the General said as he cocked his head into Kozgugore’s direction. ‘I have awaited your arrival. I take it the campaign in the Jade Forest is a success, then?’

Kozgugore nodded as he greeted the general with a quick salute, thumping a fist to his chest. ‘Indeed. It would seem the Alliance have been cut off from their supplies – for the time being.’

A wicked smirk curled itself around General Spinecleaver’s tusks, running his hand over the part of the map that was marked as the Jade Forest. ‘Most excellent. Though it would seem no thanks to you now, would it? Orgrimmar has received word of these “terms” you have agreed upon with the Alliance. You realise these terms are not sanctioned by the Warchief himself? They are meaningless.’

‘I realise,’ Kozgugore slightly inclined his head. ‘I did not expect anyone aside from myself to follow them. They serve only for my own command. So that the people of Pandaria may be spared at least some of the war’s atrocities.’

Upon hearing the Chieftain’s words, Spinecleaver threw his head back in a boisterous laugh, smacking a hand on the wooden table in his amusement. ‘Ha! You were always rather foolish for a so-called chieftain, Feraleye! Makes me wonder how an orc so naïve as yourself ended up to become one.’ Still smirking to himself, the General stepped around his table, carrying a missive that he held out to Kozgugore to accept. ‘Still, you get the job done – so far. Here are your next orders, Feraleye. Straight from Orgrimmar. I’m sure you’re going to love this one.’

Kozgugore accepted the missive, and as he began to read its contents, he could faintly hear the General yammer on about duties and responsibilities. About what had to be done to achieve total victory on behalf of the Warchief and his glorious conquest. When the speech was at last done and Kozgugore had finished reading the signed letter, he raised his gaze back to the General, who was now back at his table again, and leant back against it as he awaited Kozgugore’s response.

‘I will not carry out these orders.’

There was something about the General’s demeanour that indicated he was not all too surprised by the Chieftain’s response. Nonetheless, the response was an unsatisfactory one no matter how predictable it may have seemed. ‘You what? You will carry out exactly as Orgrimmar tells you to, old dog. Or have you forgotten whose orders you’re following?’

Kozgugore crumpled up the missive, sending it flying to the General’s feet as his nose wrinkled on top of a fanged snarl. ‘I refuse. I will not lead my orcs into a neutral Pandaren village to burn it down on the vague notion that it -may- help the Alliance out in the future.’ He raised an accusing hand, pointing it into the General’s direction. ‘You know the contents of that letter go against everything I have agreed upon in the treaty. It goes against everything our noble race be standing for. And this be certainly not the first time that mistake be made either.’

The General’s yellowed teeth revealed themselves as he returned the snarl, a growl building up from the back of his throat as he barked back to Kozgugore. ‘That "treaty" of yours was a farce, and I doubt you know any better whatever may be in the best interest of our race than our Warchief does! You will either carry out the Warchief’s will, or you will suffer the consequences!’

‘No,’ Kozgugore grunted back as he raised his chin. He now realised these orders were particularly assigned to him in order to dissuade him from the agreements he has made – to prove himself in Orgrimmar’s eyes once more. But it was too late to take any steps back now. ‘We orcs be better than this. If this be what we be to become, I will have no part in it. And I will no longer command. Not in the name of this Horde.’

Finally, Spinecleaver pushed himself off his table, raising a hand to motion to both Kor’kron by the entrance of the room. ‘You’ve grown weak and predictable, Feraleye. I knew you were a fool, but to think you would stoop so low? You surprise even me.’ The Kor’kron, now motioned next to Kozgugore, both take him by the arms, pulling them behind him as he’s made to get down on his knees. ‘What you’re speaking of is treason. And you know the price for treason, is death. Get this sanctimonious fool out of my sight. He can rot in the prisons until his judgement comes to claim his head.’ The General waved his hand, motioning for the two Kor’kron to take him away

It was with a thick snarl, still trying to fight against the Kor’krons’ grasp in vain, that Kozgugore Feraleye was hauled off to Orgrimmar’s prison. Once a long-serving scout, and later a leader of armies, the orc was now stripped of his belongings and any rank as he was thrown into a dark jail in Orgrimmar’s bowels, bitterness overtaking him as it would seem this marked the end of his career. No grand ceremony in honour of any lifelong service, but left in the company of rats as he was to await his execution. So ends the Feraleye’s service to the Horde.

I enjoyed that, must say.

To go a bit more into detail, I enjoyed the opening picture along with the quote from a fallen Orc. The writing style is extremely easy to follow, descriptive and flowing. It's just a good read.

Poor Kozgugore.

( I smell a future breakout in the works. *rubs hands together in glee and goes to decide which character to use* )

And here I was told old Kozugore had finally gone and meet his maker, but then I come here and read this and realize he's just chucked in to prison!

Rumors, how I adore them.

Rumours can become truth should the execution take place! But yes, that will all depend on what happens from here on out. Still, thanks for the feedback so far! I'm quite enjoying the plot so far.

Absolutely awesome.

* Delidah dances around in her imp-outfit to "entertain" the orc in prison *

Oooh, like the story.

Exciting times. I'm curious how the Marauders would react to those same orders.

Also looking forward to RPing with the Blades in light of this.

Interesting to see what will come from this!

A good read, I'm just a little worried about how you'll end it! Garrosh becoming a boss and then you being released as a hero would be the cliché way! A breakout would be cool, but it'd mean you on the run! I look forward to it with anxiety.

These are dark, dark times indeed.