Unforeseen Consequences

An orc crouched with his back to the wall of a ruined building. He shifted uncomfortably in the sweltering heat from the blazing buildings around him and remembered when the Drag of Orgrimmar was ruled by shadow. He stiffened when he heard rough demonic speak and the heavy foot falls of demons heading his way. He concentrated on the sound, using his training to build a picture in his head, and saw the three Felguards in his mind. As he listened the sounds grew louder, and he pulled out twin knives and looked at the broken window of a building across the street from him and saw a hand flashing through hand signals. "Damn, five of them?" the orc muttered. He quickly signed his plan and waited for the response as the footfalls grew louder. "No way to fall back now, they'll see me if I move." The orc thought, "Better to tell the Chief we disobeyed orders then to have him find us dead." The sniper flashed the go ahead and the orc whipped around the corner, shouting his clan's battle call as the snipers rounds found their marks on the in the demons skulls. It was over before the orc could think about what had happened, he saw the fight in disjointed pictures that were linked to the sounds of rifle cracks and the smell of smoke and burning flesh. He checked the corpses to make sure the demons were down for good and motion all clear. Another orc, this one older and equipped with a rifle and a sword dropped to the ground with a frown just like his fathers. "Dad's gonna be furious. When he tells us not to engage the enemy you know he means it. He's not exactly known for subtlety." The other orc cleaned his knives and looked at the demons closer. "Hey, these three kills puts you over fifty for this city, a new record. You keep this up and you'll outdo your mother." The sniper snapped, hauling the younger orc up to look him in the eye. "Damnit when will you listen to me Kamura? We might have lost most of the clan but that doesn't mean you don't have to worry about punishment." Kamura shoved the sniper back, "And just 'cause your dad's the Chief doesn't mean you're suddenly Warlord. Unless something changed since New Kargath, we're both still Raiders, I've just not forgotten that the Blacktooth Grin hides from no one." The sniper's lip curled briefly into a snarl before he shook his head. "Neither have I, brother, but we need to follow the orders of the Warchief." The sniper unslung his rifle and checked his scope, "And I'm not going to be out shot by a female, especially my mother." Kamura grinned, "If only the Chief were here to hear his little Minigrim speak like that, he wouldn't stop bragging about it for a week." Minigrim winced at the name, "Ugh, do you really have to call me THAT?" Kamura gave him a playful shove and laughed, "Come on, let's get back to the hold and give our report. We don't want to keep Warchief Grimface waiting do we?"

The two made their way to the Sky Tower as a part of protocol. While the Grin used to be casual about operations before, resent casualties required all teams and patrols to check in with the officer on duty. As the pair moved from shadow to shadow, cover to ruin, they kept an eye on a pillar of thick black smoke issuing from the Sky Tower area. As they neared, they both swore at the sight of a new pile of bodies still smoldering.
"Who was on watch here?" Mingrim wondered aloud while scanning the cliffs for demons. "Third squad?"
"No, they had the tower yesterday and first squad is still recovering from the ambush at the arena. Second might be pulling a double shift." Kamura replied as he checked his kunai bag.
"First squad got hit? Isn't that where your sister's mate is?"
"He's not her mate yet, the ceremony is next week, but yeah, Xane was pretty shook up when she heard about it."
Minigrim looked Kamura over carefully, "You don't sound that concerned about it. He's gonna be family soon right?"
Kamura sighed and started walking to the pile. "He only got minor injuries, which is more than I can say about most of his squad. Lena, Norne and Mannu had to be carried out, and get this, the Legion finally killed Xylien."
Minigrim stopped in his tracks. "Sythegar Xylien is dead? How'd they manage that?"
Kamura shrugged, "I'm not sure, she didn't make it easy for them. They found her with fifteen Felguards dead at her feet."
The two stopped just short of the pile and checked for traps before looking at the bodies. "Make sure if they have survivors to bring back family stuff." Minigrim called to Kamura.
"That list is getting short, focus on tags first and if we have to we'll come back in the morning." Kamura answered back while checking the tag of a tauren. "I didn't know we still had Thunderhooves with us. Guess the siege at Thunder Bluff is getting bad if we can't return our loans."
Minigrim poked his head around the pile, "Which squad is it? I'm still trying to figure out which end of this troll I'm looking at is..."
Kamura cleaned the tag off and swore. "It's the fourth..."
Minigrim stiffened, "Isn't Xane in the fourth?"
Kamura nodded and started searching another body. "Yeah, but she requested leave to take care of Khozen."
As the two kept searching, Kamura stopped and dropped a scorched club with a loud clunk. Minigrim looked up to see him holding a set of tags and a necklace, hands trembling. The charm on the necklace was a miniature eagle holding two arrows.
"They're Xane's...." Kamura said, voice trembling.
Minigrim stowed the tags he'd collected and put his hand on Kamura's shoulder. On the battlefield Kamura acted like any seasoned veteran would, and his personality made him act much older than he really was, but it only hid the fact that he was still only 19, and he was now the last of his family clan.

The walk back to Grommash Hold was the longest in Kamura's life. Memories of his older sister haunted him as he tried to concentrate and remain alert. He rubbed the scar on his forearm where Stripes had slashed him after Xane convinced him to pull the cat's tail. As he walked into the hold, he heard Grimface already handing out orders and assignments. The two Raiders both walked up to the throne and knelt. "Warchief." Minigrim said, "We come to deliver our report."
"There's no need, another scout has already informed me of your ambush on yet another Legion patrol." Minigrim stiffened and Kamura kept staring at the ground. "tell me, my son." Grimface said with an oddly calm tone, "Why is it that when I give the order to observe and scout only that you consistently engage the enemy?" Grimface's voice rang through the hall and a couple guards shifted at their posts uncomfortably. "I have tried to keep the remainder of our clan alive while bringing together our allies for the coming assault, and you two keep drawing attention to us. I told her she need a stronger mate, one with a stronger back and will and who has proven to be right? He couldn't keep her well as he promised and he couldn't even give her a good son to carry on their name!"
Kamura stiffened but remained silent as Grimface continued. "I told her no hunter could be a proper mate for her."
Minigrim stood up suddenly. "Then am I also not worthy of a mate father?" Grimface stood as well and looked down on his son. "You had such a potential as a shaman, as a guide of our clan, but you chose instead to squander it. You still hold that power in you."
Minigrim instinctively took an aggressive stance and the guards gripped their axes tighter. "And what of mother? She was also a hunter and we can see from my being here that you held her in high regard."
Grimface failed to hide his shock at the mention of Signe, but quickly regained his momentum. "She was gifted, a prodigy, Vord was not. To compare the two is like-"
"THEN WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO SO?" Minigrim roared, "WHY WILL YOU NOT DROP THIS BIAS? WERE IT NOT FOR VORD YOU YOURSELF WOULD HAVE FALLEN IN HORDEMAR!"
Before Grimface had the chance to regain control of the argument, Kamura's voice rang out in the silent hall, as if all ears were waiting for Kamura's outburst. "You are right, Warchief. I am the sole reason we engaged the patrol. Had I moved in time, we would have had no reason to attack. I take full responsibility for our disobedience."
The confession hung in the air for a moment as Minigrim hung his head in defeat as Grimface turned his gaze to Kamura. "So be it. Your punishment will be decided after the completion of your next assignment. I need to send my best scouts out and Gor help me its you two. You will be heading north to Winterspring in search of a small group of our allies and even our own clansmen that have been sending reports on the activities at Hyjal. You will leave here in five hours, so I suggest you plan your route before then." As the two bowed and left the chamber, Grimface sighed and shook his head.

Kamura stood at a table checking his gear over. As he started donning his armor, he noted all the nicks and cuts in the leather. As he finished with his gloves, he stared at two items left on the table, Xane's necklace and the tant? that was the mate of the one he carried. It was tradition that when the father or mother died, their blade was passed to the eldest of the same gender, who would then use it to make his own set of blades. Now Kamura held the last pair ever made, and likely ever to be made, in his hands. A lone tear tracked down his face as he remembered the faces of everyone he'd lost. So many friends and family gone he could hardly remember them all.
But in this, he was not alone. Most if not all of the remaining Grin had lost many loved ones in the conflicts. So many had fallen that the dead were starting to out number the living. The whole clan was grieving, for their Chieftain, for their friends and members and heros of the Horde that had fallen in the two great wars.
Minigrim's footsteps interrupted Kamura's thoughts and he quickly stowed the knives and wiped his eyes. "Come on Kamura, Sythegar Mido's squad is going to escort us to the edge of the Barrens and she wants to get moving."
Kamura straitened up and turned to look at his cousin. "Then let's not keep her waiting."

The group stopped at Southfury river and Mido beckoned Kamura over while Minigrim and another hunter scanned the opposite shore. Mido looked in Kamura's eyes and he felt a small touch in his mind before she broke contact. "I heard about it before we left, and I'm sorry you had to be the one to find her, but focus on your job and get back here alive. I'm tired of going out to get the tags and bodies of my friends kids."
Kamura bowed and muttered, "Yes ma'am." And faded into the darkness. Mido perked her ears to try and discern where the rogue had gotten to, and was surprised to hear Minigrim say quietly, "He's secured the other side, I'm moving out."
Mido held him back for a moment. "I want you to keep an eye on him, I felt something strange in his mind that wasn't there before."
Minigrim inhaled sharply, "You don't think he's gonna do that do you?"
Mido looked at the orc and smiled reassuringly, "He's a good kid, but even the strongest spirit can only take so much loss before it breaks. Just make sure he stays on task and I'm sure he'll be fine." Kamura flashed signs wondering if something was wrong and Mido pushed Minigrim towards the water. "Go on now, you don't want to get behind schedule do you?" Minigrim slipped into the water with little noise and Mido watched as he swam to the other side and the two disappeared in the darkness. "I wish I as a certain as I said I was, good luck boys."

The two sat at a small camp on the edge of Ashenvale and ate a quick meal while they rested. Kamura had been mostly silent since they'd set out, using mostly hand signals if he communicated at all. The silence was finally broken when he asked quietly, "So what kept you back so long?"
Minigrim stopped chewing for a moment before speaking, "She had some more orders to give us. We're supposed to be gathering any intel we can on the Alliance resistance on our way to Winterspring. She wants to know what the night elves are planning."

Kamura stared at the ground and thought for a moment. "You think Mido's always been a hard ass? She rarely smiles anymore and I can't remember the last time she laughed."
A high pitched voice rang out in the relative silence and a robed gnome stepped into the light of the small campfire. "There was a time when many of your clan thought she was too cheery to survive, but wars tend to change people. Please forgive me of my actions but I fear if we do not move swiftly all hope will be lost." Two elves, robed the same as the gnome grabbed the orcs and began muttering. Time and space melted away and the orcs saw hundreds of places and times flash before them before they felt their feet slam into the ground. Kamura looked around and saw the strings of time and dimensions flowing around a cavern with the gnome and elves standing in front of him.
"Welcome to the Caverns of Time." the gnome said with a bow.
Kamura looked around in awe as Minigrim groaned and rubbed his head, "But the Caverns were sealed and hidden during the Fourth War, why are we here if the Horde's actions caused them to be sealed?"
The gnome looked at the two orcs solemnly, "Because you two are going to atone for the sins of your fathers. We of the Bronze Flight have kept our vigil over time during the wars, and since the actions of your chieftain divided the races, the Legion was able to claim victory here. Soon they will claim the energies of the Wells and this world will be doomed. We cannot let that happen, and so you have been chosen to complete this task. I must now ask that you step through this portal to the past, I promise I will answer all questions when you have reached the other side."
Kamura looked at Minigrim and the two seemed to be thinking the same thought, and Kamura answered it aloud. "What the hell..." and the two stepped into the portal.

As Kamura and Minigrim entered the portal, they again saw hundreds of places and times before their eyes as they fell through the fabric of time. Kamura righted himself in time to hit the ground on his feet but Minigrim wasn't as lucky, spitting out a mouthful of sand. "Exelent!" The gnome said, again appearing before the two, "It's good to see you made it through the stream."
Minigrim wiped his mouth before spitting out more sand. "Why wouldn't we have made it?"
The gnome smiled sheepishly, "To be honest, the portal here was rushed so we weren't totally sure where, or when, you'd show up, but our calculations seem to have been right in the end."
Kamura and Minigrim exchanged looks of disbelief before the gnome spoke again. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Chromie, and yes, you could say we've met before, and to that end, we shall meet again, but let us get to the matter at hand. Do you have any questions before we begin?"
Minigrim stood up and took the same stance his father did when he wanted to speak his mind. "You're telling me you kidnap us, force us to defy orders, then tell us you didn't know if we were going to make it here or not, and you still expect us to help you? What the Fff-!"
Kamura covered Minigrim's mouth and gave him a cautious look as Chromie gave the two a confused look. "What he's trying to say is, what exactly do you expect us to do here?"
Chromie smiled at the pair, "Just what I knew you were going to say. As you know, the Fourth War of Azeroth began during a heightened period of tensions between the Alliance and Horde, made even more complicated after the Blacktooth Grin pushed Alliance forces out of the Arathi Highlands. In desperation, the Alliance take out a contract with Ravenholdt for Gorfrunch's head. What you need to do now is prevent the future as you know it by speaking with the Warchief of the Blacktooth Grin, and if that fails, stop the assassination attempt at all costs. If peace cannot be reached, open this scroll and follow the instructions written there."
Chromie holds out a scroll for Kamura who stows it in a bag at his hip. "So where can we find the Warchief?"
Chromie chuckles slightly, "You need to brush up on your history. The Blacktooth Grin is currently camped in Stromgarde, it is there that you will find your Warchief." The two orcs look at each other with a confused look and Chromie let's out an exasperated sigh. "That would be New Kargath as you've come to know it. You mortals can't keep anything the same for longer than a few hundred years, so I'm surprised you don't get lost all the time."

Minigrim checked his rifle and started cleaning the sand from it. "So all we need to do is talk with the Warchief and then we get to go home? Sounds too easy if you ask me."
Chromie shuffled uncomfortably, "I'm afraid that's the catch you were looking for. If you succeed in your task and correct the flow of time, the world as you knew it will cease to exist, and you will remain in this time."
Minigrim almost dropped his brush before regaining his stride. "At least I'll get to be around the clan more. Being there for the battle of-"
"NO!" Chromie's shout caused Minigrim to jump, "You must not do anything beyond securing the future. That means you cannot interact with anyone beyond the parameters we set for you. Would you correct the wrongs only to destroy what you achieve? I know what I ask of you now is very difficult, but think of what is at stake. You might not be able to be with your loved ones again, but you will give them a better future. Is that not worth fighting and sacrificing for? Is that not worth dying for?"
Kamura looked at Minigrim as his gaze dropped to the floor. "Is there something you're not telling us? What are our chances of surviving this task?"
Chromie closed her eyes in a saddened expression. "I cannot tell you for certain, there are too many variables, too many paths for too many people...I'm sorry, I can't give you an answer yet."
Kamura sighed and looked at Minigrim who was trembling. "What do you think?"
Minigrim gripped his rifle and spoke barely above a whisper. " I think we need to speak with the Warchief."

twenty years from now
Kamura could smell the smoke from the burning buildings in the city and hear the cries of pain and terror from its people, but all he was concerned with was the orc in front of him. "Don't give up yet, you're almost through." he urged, "Push Agma, push, the medic will be here soon.
A tauren with a large rifle crouched by the door, covering the street outside. "They're getting closer." the tauren grunted, "We'll need to move soon."
Kamura scowled at the tauren, "Does she look like she's in any shape to be moved? She's about to give birth! We'll need to eliminate the enemy without drawing attention to ourselves." He pointed at and orc and a troll, "You two, find a medic. The healers shouldn't be far, bring the first one you find back here."
The small group looked at each other and the troll pulled Kamura away from Agma."We alreday be defyin' ordahs heah, we need ta be gettin' back to da Grin befoah its too late. If joo do dis, joo gonnah be luck dey don' kill joo when we get back."
Kamura gave the troll a deadly look. "We are of the Blacktooth Grin, the elite of the Horde, and I am a Champion of our clan. I know my orders, you'd best mind yours."
The troll gave a quick bow. "Its been nice ta know ya...Sah" As the troll and the orc slipped out the back, an elf with a large satchel rolled through a hole in the wall and quickly moved over to Kamura. "I heard you needed a medic, what's the problem?"

Kamura pointed to Agma, who was crushing the hand of a warrior. "She's in labor, and I think she broke his hand." The elf's ears drooped slightly and let out a small "oh.." before walking over and relieving the warrior who cradled his hand. After looking Agma over he shook his head and moved back to Kamura. "She's in bad shape, if we don't get a proper healer here soon, we might loose her and the child."
Kamuras blood ran cold. "That's why you're here, you're a doctor!"
The elf shook his head again and opened his satchel, revealing a load of bandages and anti-venom. "I'm a medic, I keep people alive long enough for the healer corp. to heal them, hence their name. I can stabilize her, but if we don't get some help here, we'll loose her."
The tauren by the door gripped his rifle harder, "They've spotted us." Kamura looked between the door, Agma and the back where the two Grin had gone for help, then back to the elf. "What do you want me to do?"
The elf moved back over to Agma and began to prepare a clean linen. "If we don't do something about those soldiers it won't matter if we get a healer here or not."
Agma started to cry anew, this time not out of pain. "No, don't go, not now." Kamura hugged her quickly and gave her a kiss. "I won't be long, I promise. Be strong my love, I'll be back once I've dealt with the humans."

Kamura hid snuck into position along the Alliance patrols flank, just within earshot. He had been taught enough common to know what his enemy was saying, and looked out from behind his cover to see three humans setting a large barrel with a fuse in it on its side, and a dwarf adjusting a scope on his rifle. One of the humans laughed as another lit the fuse and shouted, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" and the three humans kicked the barrel and sent it rolling towards the building as a round from the taurens rifle slammed into the head of a human. The dwarf didn't flinch as he sighted the barrel and squeezed the trigger, igniting the barrel in an explosive wall of flame, setting the building ablaze before causing it to collapse.

Kamura let out a pained cry that shook the mens souls and pulled out a kunai and flung it at one of the men. The man dropped as the dwarf fired again before Kamura decapitated him with a slash from his sword. The last man began to charge, drawing his own sword. Kamura quickly countered and in a swift move, severed his neck as well. Kamura looked at the burning building and collapsed to his knees, tears forming in his eyes as he looked on, hoping against all odds that Agma would emerge unharmed with his child. He didn't know how long he had stayed there until the troll from before returned with Xane. Xane quickly looked at her brother before stating what he had not felt. "You've been hit, and by the looks of your bleeding, near an artery. Where's Agma? I thought she was with you."
Kamura said nothing, only pointed weakly at the burning building, and Xane gasped and began to tear up before blinking it away. "Come on, we need to get back to the clan, we've lost the city."
Kamura grabbed his sword and stood up, and with one last look at the building, moved on.

Kamura sat along the wall as a part of the rear guard, waiting for the rest of his clan to get to the rendezvous point. Grimnir had already established a small command point trying to find the Warchief, who was missing. As Kamura sat there, he watched as Signe cantered up to the area and gave him a stern look. "We have much to discuss when we're through here Kamura. You disappoint me."
Signe continued until she got up to the command post, whispered something into Grimnir's ear, who grew gray and nodded. Xane sat next to Kamura and gave him a cautious look. "Have you seen Mother or Father yet?"
Kamura shook his head and continued to stare out into the city. "No, but Aunt Signe just brought new of Warchief Gorfrunch. He fell fighting off a large force at the main gates, and sent Aunt Signe to tell Grimnir he's in command until the Council can meet to declare a new Warchief."
Xane looked at her brother in shock, "How do you know this?"
Kamura shrugged, "You just need to listen to be able to hear, and don't speak about it yet, they're going to tell the clan when we've regrouped with the armies at Hammerfall staging area."

The two sat in silence as they both tried to fathom Gorfrunch's death. They had been raised listening to stories of his deeds, of the battles he had lead the Grin in. He was more than a living legend, he was a deity among the Grin, and his fall seemed almost as impossible as Dalaran admitting ogres into the Kirin Tor.
The silence was broken when a familiar voice called out, filling Kamura with dread. "KAMURA!" Vord called out, Minigrim and Drak'nora walking a few paces behind him. Kamura stood up and walked the distance between him and his father. "I heard what you did today son." Vord said as he held his new rifle tightly. "You were given orders to follow, a task to carry out, and you failed not just your squad, your clan, the countless civilians you were to protect, but me as well."
Drak'nora gave Vord a quick look and nudged him, and Vord sighed. "But you also would not abandon your mate, something that has made me proud. It is however unfortunate that this will come before the Council. The circumstances as well as your age and inexperience will likely guard you, but don't expect any commands in the future."

Kamura hung his head, but said nothing. Drak'nora shook her head at the two who almost always seemed at odds with each other and motioned for them to move out. As they neared the exit, Kamura's world shattered again as two rifle cracks broke the relative calm, and Drak'nora dropped to her knees. Vord looked between her and the rooftops as he quickly dispatched the two dwarven snipers and dropped to Drak'nora's side. "MMMEEDDIIIIIIC!" he cried as he looked at his life mate's injuries: a hole in her right side, near the middle of her liver, and another in her back, severing the spine. Tears formed in his eyes as he realized the inevitable, and he hugged her close. "Hold on, the healers are coming. You'll be fine, just hold on Drak." he whispered, voice breaking. Drak'nora coughed, blood trickling from her mouth as she whispered her last words into Vords ear. She smiled weakly as he met her eyes and nodded, then watched her eyes slowly close as she drifted into the spirit realm. Vord carefully set her down on the ground as it started to rain, washing the blood in the streets away as a small group of Grin stood in memory of a fallen sister and mother.

Present Day

Dawn found Kamura watching Stromgarde silently from the hilltop where he and Minigrim had made camp that night. He hardly ever slept anymore, battles and faces visiting him in the night constantly reminding him of those he'd lost. He glanced over at Minigrim who was sound asleep. A small part of Kamura hated him for his ability to always sleep peacefully, he'd never called out names or woke up in a cold sweat, reaching for a blade. But he'd also not watched his family die in front of him, which helped to explain why his conscience was still clean. Kamura sighed and tried to put those thoughts out of mind and started a fire to make breakfast.

Half an hour later, Minigrim shifted a bit and smelled the air. "Unnnngh, it's too early mom, just a few more minutes......"
Kamura shook his head with a grin and tossed a small rock at Minigrim's head. "Hey, don't insult your mother like that. She could make a six course banquet out of two rats and handful of grass, I only managed to scrape together something with a monster of a raptor and the eggs it was guarding."
Minigrim blinked, trying to clear his eyes of sleep. "I knew I should've asked the humans for food, they'd have given me something with less poison in it..."
"Don't give me any ideas." Kamura said in a mock darkened tone.
The two ate in relative silence, exchanging occasional witty comments trying to keep an uncomfortable silence from setting in. Finally, Minigrim said what both of them were feeling. "You didn't sleep well either did you? I kept seeing things from when we were fighting in New Kargath."
Kamura kept staring at the ground in silence for a few moments before answering. "Yeah, not our finest hour. I can't remember a time where I haven't had it come back to me again."
"And you never spoke with anyone before?" Minigrim said, a bit surprised with Kamura lowering the wall for a bit. "What about Mido? Didn't you have her check you mind a couple times?"
"Only a couple times where the officers wanted to make sure I wasn't slipping. You get used to it after a while." he lied as he stood up, "We need to speak with the Chief, so we need to start making a plan."
Minigrim sighed at the change of conversation and made a mental vow to get Kamura to talk about his issues again. "We both know he's not going to change just because a couple of kids say it's in his clan's best interest.
Kamura smiled and looked at Stromgarde again. "That's why we're going with a different way..."

48 CE, twenty one years in the future

Hordemar never had much space, even after all of Blackrock had been claimed. Kamura could hear the refugees bickering amongst themselves, the clatter of armored soldiers moving to fortify the city and keep the peace, the calls of worgs, kodos, raptors and all types of creatures protesting the conditions. His cell was dank and was filled with the stench of rot. Due to the events of the war, Kamura's trial had never finished, and although he was officially relieved of duty and to be held in prison for the remainder of his trial, he had fought in the siege and battle of Stormwind and Stonard, and had even gone to rescue to forces at Taugrek's Stand. Now that the Alliance had been crippled, the Legion's relatively unchallenged advance had driven the Horde back to its seat of power, the Council of Clans finally had the time to see to this matter.

Kamura heard the clattering of armor outside his cell, "We're here to take prisoner #4847 to the Council chamber."
"He has a name you know," Said a familiar voice on the other side of the door, "And he's done more than most warriors here."
"We've all heard what you think of your cousin, just get him and save us the lecture."
Minigrim sighed and opened the door, and the guards escorted him through Hordemar. As they walked through the city, all members of the Horde paused to stare at him as he walked by. An old orc smiled at him and clapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "Good luck." and a female troll spat at his feet. As they neared the Council chamber, a group of orcs, troll, and a large tauren blocked the way.
"Stand aside!" one of the guards said.
An elderly orc woman stood at the front holding a large knife. "No, he will pay for his crimes. Were it not for him, my son would still be here. We all have lost much due to his actions, we have waited too long for the Council to act. We won't wait any longer in the hopes for the Council to dispense justice."
The guards readied their weapons as the lynching group advanced, and Kamura stepped forward, raising his hands to show the bindings.
"You stand here and accuse me of the deaths of your loved ones, and I do not deny it. My love of my mate drove me to do what I did, and you stand here because of your devotion to your loved ones. Can you not understand my position? I failed not only my mission, but also my mate, my clan and my family. Can you fathom this dishonor? Do you truly know what it is to live with with this? You have lost much, and I am pained by your loss, but I have lost much more, and I have yet to be given my trial."

Many in the group hung their heads and the leader sheathed her blade. "Then you will continue your torment."
As the group dispersed, Minigrim walked up behind Kamura. "Nice speech, I guess you do have a way with words."
Kamura grinned, "It's easy when you've studied the minds of humanoids as long as I have. You tell people the right things and you can get them to do anything." Minigrim laughed, "You're really scary sometimes, you know that?"
The guards moved Kamura through the doors into a circular room, the middle was empty, used for commanders and generals to give briefings, and for prisoners to stand trial. Around the center were thirteen seats, the middle one at the head of the chamber was the Warchief's seat, four slightly smaller seats were arranged two to each side for the heads of the other races, and eight even smaller seats were reserved for the head of each of the eight largest clans of the Horde. All were present, Grimnir holding the title of temporary Warchief, and Signe filling in for him as head of the Grin.

Kamura stepped into the inner circle of the chamber as Grimnir called out, "Kamura Yamato of the clan Garuda, Champion of the Black Tooth Grin clan, you have been brought here to face charges of dereliction of duty, defying the orders of a superior officer and those of Warchief Gorfrunch which resulted in the deaths of fellow soldiers and civilians. Do you have anything to say before the evidence against you is brought forward?"
Kamura nodded, "I have done my duty to my clan and the Horde countless times, I have engaged our enemy on their own soil and in their own homes. As such, I request that my family ties not be considered in this matter."
Sylvanas cocked an eyebrow as Signe shifted in her seat slightly. "A true warrior of the Horde, don't you agree Signe?"
Grimnir didn't miss a beat. "Your superior officer will now present the evidence against you." Vord walked to the center and stood in front of Grimnir and the Council as Kamura's jaw dropped. "Vord Yamato, of the clan Garuda, Reaver of the Black Tooth Grin and Lieutenant General of the Horde military forces, Commander and Chief Instructor of the Northrend Survival and Bushcraft training grounds, you were the commanding officer of Kamura's unit during the incident in question, were you not?"
"Yes sir." Vord replied.
Grimnir's face adopted a scowl. "And you passed Warchief Gorfrunch's personal orders to his unit instructing him and his unit to evacuate the civilians of New Kargath as they regrouped with the Black Tooth Grin, did you not?"
"Yes sir, I did." Vord replied.
Grimnir's scowl deepened. "Please recall the incident in question for the Council."

"....Due to his inaction, he failed to carry out orders to protect the civilians, and had he continued with his mission, his squad would've been in a textbook position for an ambush, saving the lives of 17 warriors who were killed in the following engagement." Vord finished.
Grimnir and the other members of the Council had said little during Vords presentation. Grimnir nodded and looked around at the council members. "Very well, we'll take a short recess to determine the punishment of the prisoner."
Thirty minutes later, the Council filed back in and Grimnir spoke again. "Kamura Yamato, after reviewing the evidence, we find you guilty of the charges against you. However, due in large part to the words of Sylvanas and Signe, we have determined that because of your age and the circumstances of the situation, we will forgo administering a punishment of equal gravity to your crimes. Your current rank in your clan is stripped, and your rank of Legionnaire as promised upon your coming of age is forfeit. You will resume military service immediately after this hearing as a Raider of your clan and First Sergeant of the Horde, do you understand?"
Kamura stood in awe for a few moments before speaking. "Respectfully sir, I do not. If my rank was stripped, why am I serving as a Sergeant?"
Sylvanas smiled at Kamuras question. "Despite this incident, your service record is exemplary. We feel it would be a waste to put you in a cannon fodder position. You are still a useful asset, don't make us regret this decision."

Present Day

Kamura stalked through Stromgarde, taking care to remain hidden. Minigrim knocked a stone loose behind him and they both winced, then gave sighs of relief as the nearby guard kept walking by.
"Is it so hard for you to not make noise?" Kamura said in a hushed voice.
"I don't see why we don't just make ourselves known, we both know they won't attack Grin."
"We're supposed to remain unknown. Better for them to think we're spies than to have them know who we are."
They kept moving shadow to shadow until the reached their destination, the keep of Stromgarde. Kamura looked sideways at Minigrim who nodded and the banged pen the doors. In the middle of the hall was a small table which had a world map on it and various members of the horde standing around it, all seemed to be listening to what an old orc with his back to the door was saying. Kamura grinned and called out. "Security seems to be a little lax if two orc can sneak through a city held by the Blacktooth Grin."
The old orc turned to eye the two youngsters, "What business do you have here. Speak quickly before my patience runs thin."
Kamura took a few steps forward. "We have information that might be of value to you."
The old orc snorted. "What makes you think you're in any position to barter information here, let alone know anything we do not?"
Kamura smiled, keeping his teeth hidden. "It's about the contract and plot against Gorfrunch, but if you're uninterested, perhaps we should speak with Thrall. I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking this opportunity."