After spending a particularly pleasant night in an elven inn, Tazai was eager to begin another day of hunting in the forests of Quel'Thalas. Here in the wild, a troll could enjoy nature's bounty without suffering the judgmental eyes of the vainglorious elves. There was plenty of fauna to pursue as beautiful and vicious as the sin'dorei themselves. As dangerous as it was, no living thing could withstand the hunter when he was in his element. Women were no exception. In truth, there was little difference between subduing a beast and subduing a mate, but one was certainly more rewarding than the other.
For now, his top priority was finding breakfast. No hunter worth his salt would run amok on an empty stomach. Bow at the ready, he began to scour the woods for small game. Thanks to his heightened senses, it would not take long for him to spot a rabbit waiting for him in the middle of a clearing. He snuck up as close as possible to the critter without alerting it, then steadied his breath as he took aim.
Before he could release his bowstring, he felt something bite him in the ass. He cursed loudly from the pain, consequently scaring away his meal. Without a second thought, he reached around, only to discover he had been shot with an arrow himself. He furiously plucked it out as he spun around to confront his attacker, ready to fight for his own survival.
The last thing he expected was for his assailant to give themselves away by shouting, but that's what happened next. "Oh no!" a female blurted out from the bush, alerting him where to look. He aimed an arrow in her direction, prepared to fire the moment she made a move. A few seconds afterward, he heard her call to him yet again. "Wait! That was a mistake!"
"Who you be?" Tazai demanded.
"Calissa," the woman replied. "We're on the same side, I think."
"Ya think?"
"You're a Darkspear, aren't you?"
"Ya damn right."
"That's what I thought. Don't shoot me, all right? I'm coming out."
He remained on edge until she emerged from the foliage, and was enticed by what he saw. Standing a few yards away was a sprightly elven vixen with fair skin and fiery copper hair tied back in a ponytail. She had a perky face that seemed more expressive than most, and her verdant eyes glowed with a hint of naivety. While a bit petite compared to her sisters, her rack was still impressive. Her small leather tunic did a spectacular job of showcasing her bosom, even if it was lacking in the way of protection. Below her barren midriff she wore a skimpy leather thong that hugged tightly around her voluptuous hips. Further down, she wore tall leather boots that went past her knees, granting a delectable view of her juicy thighs. This sporty outfit, in combination with her bow and quiver, suggested she was a ranger of some kind... and most likely an amateur one at that. Lowering his weapon, he allowed her to approach.
"I'm so sorry," she started. "I thought you were a forest troll. Then I remembered how the saying goes: green is mean, blue is true."
He snorted. He knew elves hated the Amani, but this was ridiculous. "Ya be lucky I'm no forest troll. If I was, you'd be dead."
She laughed sheepishly. "Err... yeah. Oh! What about your wound?"
"Don't worry about it. I be regeneratin' in no time."
"Oh, that's right. I forgot trolls can do that."
"Sure can."
She took a few steps closer, no longer wary of his retaliation. "So... what's your name?" she asked.
"Tazai."
"That's a cool name. What are you doing in Quel'Thalas, Tazai?"
"Before ya came along, I was huntin' for breakfast."
She covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Oh no, I ruined it for you, didn't I?" She frantically began rifling through her satchel. "Hold on, I can make it up to you!" A moment later, she withdrew a small loaf of bread, extending it out to him. "Go on," she encouraged. "It's good. My mother made it."
With a shrug, he walked over and took the bread out of her hand. He snapped the loaf in two, returning one of the halves to her. She smiled gratefully at him as she waited to see his reaction to the taste. Without hesitation, he bit off a large chunk, chewed it, and swallowed. "Dat's pretteh good," he complimented. "Ya mudda be skilled."
"I'm so glad you like it!" she chimed before taking a bite herself.
"How old ya be, anyway?"
"Well, that's... you see, it's a little different for elves. I guess you would say I'm a young adult."
"Ya be a huntress as well?"
"Aspiring Farstrider, to be exact. I have a long way to go."
As he sized the woman up, an idea came to mind. "If ya like, I could show ya a ting or two" he offered.
Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Even though I shot you? That would be fantastic!"
For the next few hours, Tazai explored the forest with his new protege by his side. Along the way he taught her the basics of archery and tracking, even sharing a few stories of his life on the Echo Isles. She was fascinated by everything he had to say and had no shortage of questions. The escapade came to a head later in the evening as the sun started to get low, depriving them of daylight. They stopped in the middle of a shady nook, both recognizing the hunt was over.
"This was fun," she declared. "You've shown me a lot."
"Don't mention it," he waved off.
With an affectionate smile, she took a few more steps to close the gap between them. "No, I will. You're so kind. I don't know how I can repay you for everything."