End of Ethmorden, The

The End
 * -''by Ethmorden

Obviously some point in the future, but as Eth is already over 1000 years old, it could easily be tomorrow. =P

And please forgive my meager ability...

~Eth

Ethmorden DArcsheer, a Druid of the Claw and the last of his family line, quickly transformed into one of his feral forms. The noonday light had little time to shine upon the deep bluish-black coat of his sleek panther form however. Just as soon as he was able, he faded from view and prowled close to a nearby tree.

Digging his claws into the bark, he scaled the tree and settled in the crook of two huge branches. Below and before the aging druid sprawled some sparse woods. He could easily see between many of the trees as he scanned for his quarry. He reached out with his feral senses. Soon enough he spotted them.

There you are, and just where you ought to be. He grinned inwardly, his feline features masking his delight.

Swiftly, but silently Eth dropped to the ground at the foot of the tree. He paused and sniffed the wind. Something unpleasant was on the wind, but he couldnt quite make out what it was. He made a mental note to check over the hills to the east after he had finished with what was before him.

Not far to the north of where he quietly prowled sat the remainder of a Scourge patrol. Only two left now. Eth had taken two in the deep darkness of the night before and another two this morning. Admittedly he was tired, but not too tired to take these last two and then head for home after a brief respite in the Moonglade.

With preternatural stealth, the druid stalked ever closer to the two undead. They sat talking very quietly, though saying very little and Eth could only make out a few words every now and then.

Theres that scent again. What is that? It smells almost like undead.

Eth paused and concentrated for several moments, his finely tuned feral senses stretching to their limit. He forced himself to reach out with them as far as possible.

Two, and theyre right here, but what else is out there?

Looking around, he took in his surroundings once more out of habit. It was a relatively sparsely wooded canyon, the larger entrance of which was behind him to the south, the way the patrol had come in and he had followed. Far to the north, he could make out what looked like a very narrow path leading out the other end of the small canyon.

Nice little spot for an ambush. Ill have to Ahhh Eth chuckled softly to himself and it came out as a quiet rumbling growl in the back of his feline throat.

I see, I am the hunted here, not the hunter. It was far more than luck when I took those two this morning. Possibly the two last night had been a sacrifice as well, just to lure me into this place. Well, if theyre even halfway decent at planning then theyve already got the entrances blocked somehow. Nothing for it but to try and finish the patrol and see what my surprise reward is. Eths eyes narrowed as he finished his thought and looked about.

As he had on countless hunts before, Eth stalked between trees and behind shrubbery drawing ever closer to his two targets. They sat, apparently resigned to their fate as the bait to lure him in. They drank a bit and talked quietly. Eths knowledge of their tongue was miniscule and quite rusty, but he did manage to make out the word for druid. He sighed softly to himself and continued to advance silently.

He felt his body coming alive as the adrenaline flooded his veins. In his feral form this effect used to make him slightly bloodthirsty in his youth. He had long since learned to control this and let it flow through himself though. His nostrils flared with his increased breathing and he laughed inwardly when he realized how close he was to the first of the two undead. His breath had actually ruffled the edge of the cloak the thing was wearing.

His first strike was swift and violent. Instantly Eth could see he had badly wounded the Scourge warrior and he pressed his advantage. The other warrior quickly jumped into the fray and slashed with his heavy short sword.

Eth growled, twisted and turned slightly as he took deep slashes to his side and then danced away from several of the swings. His claws tore at the undead before him and he easily ripped him apart. With a final wailing cry his first target fell back to the ground and lay still.

Startling his remaining opponent, he quickly shifted back into his native form and summoned natures healing energies. His wounds knitted themselves closed of their own accord and he grinned at his foe as he shifted into the form favored by his order.

It was then that he heard the battle cries coming from several points around him. Scourge had seemingly flowed over the edges of the hills and down through the entrances of the small canyon. Several had already closed the distance brandishing their gleaming swords and massive hammers of war.

Eth roared and stood on his hind legs, towering over the hunch-backed undead that now surrounded him. He swiped at them and bashed them. Their heavy weapons piercing his sides and cutting into his legs. With every ounce of rage left in him he tore at the undead. He downed one, then another, then two more, but still they came at him from all sides.

With the mightiest roar he could muster, he mauled the target before him and swiped at the others. His eyes were full of blood from the stabs and cuts at his face. His hind legs finally buckled as tendons were sliced away. He collapsed upon the target before him crushing him under his massive ursine weight.

The Scourge did not stop until he druids body was little more than a shredded, bleeding mass. Dim, lifeless eyes looked out upon them as they began to consume him.