Baji's Journal

So..

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 04:34:19 GMT

I got my portrait done today.

Secrets

Tue, 07 Jun 2005 13:39:05 GMT

(( Originally posted to the wow_feathermoon community for the Secrets theme week ))

Twilight in Hillsbrad, darkening indigo sky over rich green foothills. A passerby unaware of the history of the stretch of land between Southshore and Tarren Mill might think the scene peaceful. Cool, soft breezes from the Alterac tracked ripples in the turf and stirred a whisper of dust in the aged, crumbling watchtower. A lone bird sent a call cautiously into the approaching night.

But the peace was fleeting, and in seconds the torrentious battle that raced recklessly across the foothills on a daily basis shattered it utterly. A cacaphony of blood, sweat, dust, and metal covered the land in a veil as the defenders of Tarren Mill were forced backwards, beyond their own defenses, by the Alliance invaders.

Baji stalked through a copse of trees, removed from the battle but watching it hungrily. She had no reason to defend a hold of the dark lady, but that wasn't the reason she kept coming back. She came here for the thrill. Life at its purest and most desperate co-mingled with sudden, senseless death in a bachannal that was both dizzying and exhilerating.

When the heat of battle reached a fever pitch, Baji's feral side, otherwise at least loosely kept in check, took hold. Crouching in the bushes, she relished in the scents of anger, despair, and (most intoxicating of all) fear. The tide of battle was turning to favor the Horde, and the Alliance lines were trembling and shifting dangerously close to Baji's cover. Muscles tensed for the lunge, she prayed to Dagon for a route.

Within seconds the Alliance lines broke and flooded the copse. Fear mounted to panic, and Baji's chest swelled in an effort to take it all in.

And then her moment came. A robed Kaldorei priestess caught her eye. She was backing toward Baji's cover, healing her soldiers as she retreated, but laden with the sharp smell fear and uncertainty. She was young, Baji noted gleefully, inexperienced. She wouldn't see the blow coming, until..

Time slowed as Baji waited in patient anticipation. Closer still, the priestess retreated towards her. Baji traced the line of her spine with her eyes, focusing her gaze finally on the soft neck just below the ear. Noises around them dimmed as Baji's heart thumped loudly in her ears.

And then she surged forward, colliding with force against the yielding cloth raiment of the unsuspecting priestess. She felt rather than heard the sharp intake of breath as she latched her arms and legs around the elf in a deadly vice. Pressing her face against the stumbling Kaldorei's neck, Baji inhaled deeply, drinking the scent of mingled alarm and panic like a fine wine. Without thinking, she laughed euphorically and buried her teeth into the soft skin just below the ear.

Pain ripped through Baji like wildfire as the companions of her quarry responded to her plight. With a grunt she released her grip and fell backwards under the assault. She was slain before she hit the ground.

Gasping into awareness in the spirit realm was like a bucket of ice water to the face. Baji swayed in that warped reality, recovering her lost rationality and coming to terms with what she'd done. Attacking the elf like that did not necessarily bother her, but giving in to the beast like that did.. Time and again she swore she would not surrender, and time and again her thin grip of control was lost.

But Baji thought she knew now why she kept returning to the wild battles of Hillsbrad. Because it would be easy enough to stop losing control if she actually wanted to. She craved that reckless frenzy. She didn't want to stop.

"If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?"

Tue, 07 Jun 2005 13:36:22 GMT

(( Originally posted to the wow_feathermoon community for the Children theme week ))

"If you're a real hero of the Horde, then I wanna see you fight a dragon! Yeah!"

Baji twitched at the mention of dragons, which sparked a giggle from the orc runt standing beside her. She coughed once and forced a smile.

"Kiddo, I don't think... I mean.. wouldn't ya like to go do something else? A little less dangerous maybe.."

The green-skinned child wiped his nose with the back of a tiny hand and locked his big eyes with hers. Baji felt suddenly uncomfortable under that gaze. What was she doing? She never really liked children.

Baji coughed in the silence. She felt scrutinized. "So, er.. what's ya name, little cousin?"

"Grush," he said softly, swinging his arms back and forth. "Matron says yours is Baji."

She nodded.

"That's a silly name."

Baji sighed, and reached down to tussle the hair of the little orc. He took her hand with his own and turned it over, exploring it. She fidgeted uncomfortably but allowed him to. No, maybe she didn't like children. But they did need some good adult role models. And as a sergeant of Thrall it was her duty to set an example.

"How do you wear gloves, if you only got three fingers?"

Baji fumbled through her packs and pulled out her battle gloves to show him. "Ya gotta cut off the fingers, see? Same with the boots, cuz we got big feet." She waggled her toes for emphasis, and Grush laughed. Baji let out the air she hadn't realized she was holding in her lungs. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"What was Orgrimmar like when you were my age, Baji? Was Thrall a kid back then?"

So many questions.. "I didn't grow up in ya city, grunt. And hey, I'm not that old! My tusks are still growing, see?" She jutted out her chin.

"Thrall was prolly all grown up when I was little. What else ya wanna know?"

Grush tilted his head to the side. "Where'd you grow up?"

Where'd she grow up? That wasn't important. No use dwelling on the past, right Baji? Weak-minded coward that you are..

Baji rubbed her temple. The child waited.

"To the east, cousin. Across the sea, ya know? Far, far away."

The child's eyes lit up instantly, his question forgotten. "The Eastern Continent!" Baji nodded. "I wanna see Lordaeron, Baji! Can you take me to Lordaeron? To the throne room!"

Baji nodded enthusiastically, partly from the child's infectious spirit and part from relief at escaping the subject of her youth. "Ya, okie, we go to Lordaeron!" Grush cheered and skipped off, and Baji had to jog to keep up. The trip would be easy, and safe. She did not relish a visit to the lair of that wicked, scheming elf-wench and her army of pawns, but.. well, it would be ok.

On the way to the zeppelin tower, they bought ice cream cones and lollipops. Baji watched Grush talk and laugh with two other orphans who were apparently taking the same trip with other adults of the city. Their play made her wonder if she had ever laughed and played like that as a child. Everything about her past was so dark and hazy. She lowered her eyes and began chomping on her tusks, a habit she had developed when being deep in thought.

A tug on her arm and a small sneeze brought Baji out of her reverie. Grush was at her side, staring at her with those big eyes.

"Baji," he said softly. His voice was bright and alive, and she smiled. Children lived for the moment. That's how she wanted to live. The past was no consequence.

"Baji?" Grush sounded more insistent, and he sneezed again.

"Watcha need, little cousin?"

"There's a rock in my nose!"

Death Well Deserved

Wed, 25 May 2005 11:54:00 GMT

Onyxia's been slain again by the bruddas and sistas of Low Red Moon. This time Rajeem let me know, so I could be in town to see 'em put her head on a pike. Rajeem be a good guy when he's not being possessed.. but that be a story for another day.

Anyways, I was so taken by the glory of the day that I decided to paint a picture. Plus keeping my hands busy stopped me from climbing the pole and skinnnig that head. I kinda like this one, but Jamba's gonna kill me once she sees the angle I painted her at.

The Center of the Earth

Sun, 22 May 2005 15:16:25 GMT

Yesterday I took a leisurely stroll with some of the best soldiers of the Horde into the Burning Pits of Hell, which some might more conservatively label Molten Core. The heat.. argh! At times I felt sure my guts were baking under my armor. Thank Dagon for black dragons and their hardy scales.. if not for them, I might've been Azura's next roast quail.

But the heat wasn't the half of it, invasive though it might've been. Ragnaros's lieutenants be stronger than I ever could've imagined! And for the sake of Dagon, we gotta eradicate 'em from the depths. Kinda gives me the squiggles, thinking they be crawling round in the earth right under our feet. Yeek!

Anyways, it might've been uncomfortable and exhausting, but it was satisfying to fight for such a worthy cause!

Trying my hand at art.. Here's a painting I made of my impression of the Burning Pits of Hell, including guest appearances by two notorious foes!

Introduction to the Board

Sun, 22 May 2005 14:55:59 GMT

(( So I've decided I don't really like the journal so far, and I'm going to change the format once again. Delving into Baji's history doesn't hold much interest for me, at least not enough to keep it up til I've caught up to her, so I'm just going to make the journal current.

And as always, comments are welcome! ))