The rain had stopped and Torako peered out from beneath the foliage carefully eyes taking in the smallest detail in the steaming jungle. The air was less humid now. Travel would be slightly easier although the dangers still loomed around them.

The tall brawny troll male turned to back to the gloom of the makeshift shelter and spoke softly, "Da rain has stopped,"

Within the gloom a groan was heard as someone shifted moving forward slowly. She was a pretty troll female, long green hair in two braids down her back, dressed light for the jungle travel. It was clear to see though by the large swell of her belly she was with child due for birth anytime now. She moved up next to her mate gently lying her head on his shoulder looking out over the jungle.

"we are close now? This child is kicking to get out...." she said softly one three fingered hand on her stomach..

He sighed wrapping one strong arm around her, "Not far now...." he promised although it was a white lie. They had been going slow, the rain not helping to hasten the journey to Booty Bay through the jungle. The two where Skullsplitter trolls born and bred. Wild vile trolls according to the rest of the world. Neither of them cared though. Life was simple in the jungle...until the priest had a vision from their 'god' to sacrifice their child upon birth.

Torako had never been an advent follower of the blood god and in fact secretly frowned on the practices often brooding alone watching the eternal beauty of the jungle. This was his home. It was here he killed the enemies of the tribe for they wished harm upon them be they Alliance or Horde. It was this sudden declaration that brought reality of his situation to light. Kill or be killed from dawn until dusk in the service no longer of the tribe...but to that damnable blood god. A quite rage took a hold of the warrior, one that had simmered for months.

With the birth upon them earlier that night and looking at his sweet mate, a gentle soul not meant to suffer under a god that wanted nothing but death, Torako had a sudden maddening thought. He wanted to hold his child not through it into the jaws of a fiend! He didn't want the life of killing needlessly and falling farther into a brutish uncultured state like many of his tribes fellows. They had to escape.

In the dark of night with not even the moon above to light the sky, he led them away silently from the tribe heading south to Booty Bay for shelter if they could and perhaps a better life then what the jungle tribes had descended into.

It was slow going though and with the rain halting them, he feared soon the tribe would realize they where missing and send out parties to bring back their treasonous heads.

His mate, Ordula smiled gently and looked up at the strong set features of her lover, "Then we should get moving. I can manage now,"

Torako smiled down at her slightly feeling pride in how strong she was. She knew the risk for all three of them in this escape from the tribe upon the eve of birth. Yet she took it without question packing her things as soon as he suggested it to her. She was a powerful soul.

Silently he led her out of the makeshift shelter and into the wet jungle steaming slightly as the heat reclaimed the water freshly fallen back into the air once more. The steam would provide cover and make tracking difficult for anyone following them.

The two moved through the jungle slowly due to Ordula. Each step seemed more difficult then the last and she panted slightly following steadfast after her mate knowing it was worth it. Knowing that this exodus would allow her to hold her young child in her arms and watch it grow into a fine and now free troll. Freedom from the blood god was worth every step.

The sky could be seen through the trees, small dots of far away stars managed to peek between the leaves to the two runaways trecking through the thick jungle.

Within the foliage of the jungle other sparkling dots, pitch black orbs catching only the briefest flickers of light watched them licking fangs.

The nearly silent sound of scales sliding over the ground reached the hearing of the two trolls their senses even more attuned then usual. Torako tensed hands tightening around his spear as his quickly paused to listen for where the sound had come from. The enemies watching could see the tension of this easy meal even though they had to travel far to find it. They had numbers...it was time to attack.

The nagas had come a bit inland now with the jungle a steaming misty bog filled with water that cooled their scales and made travel easy. The two trolls where caught like rats in a trap. Or so the nagas assumed. Torako clenched his teeth in an open snarl as Ordula moved behind him eyes wide in fear at the large muscular nagas.

Torako's heart was heavy with regret knowing or perhaps accepting the fact he acted too late and doomed both him and his mate by his reluctance for so long to leave behind this place. His hands curled tighter around the spear shaft as he glanced at his mate, "Run Ordula...I'll buy you some time to get out of here!"

Ordula shook her head as she took a few hesitant steps back knowing he wasn't going to survive, "Torako I-"

"GO!" He roared at her his temper flaring, "I will not have you and our child die for my folly!"

She hesitated for only a few seconds more pain etched on her features before with a strangled cry she turned and fled, adrenaline lending her weary limbs a burst of energy even as her child kicked and squirmed.

She gasped and panted tripping over roots and leaving a trail through the foliage even as the enraged howl of her mate echoed in the jungle loud and mighty before being cut off. Ordula cried, her vision blinded with tears. She stumbled against a tree gasping for air between sobs before gasping in pain a hand to her stomach and a puddle at her feet. Her water had broken....the hour of birth was upon her.

The troll woman's mind was overwhelmed with stress, her limbs trembled with pain and exhaustion but her sense where keen looking for somewhere, anywhere for a safe birth....a light!

Through the night steam she could see the faint light, a faint ray of hope. She didn't care what it was really her mind wanting only to be near that warm inviting lightso she may lay down and bring a new life into the world.

It was the only hope she had left as she stumbled forward moaning and panting.