Requests

Beneath the spacious tent, Zul'ra sat cross-legged on the ground, listening to Lostro speak alongside Dakkalai and Hamia. They would reach Jintha'Alor tomorrow, so they needed to discuss everything tonight: how to deal with the Witherbark and Vilebranch once they arrived, and under what circumstances they should launch their campaign against the Smolderthorn.

"Why don't we just wipe out those puny Smolderthorn?" Hamia asked, a trace of impatience in his eyes as he listened to Lostro's agenda. Hadn't they already settled this?

"Hamia, you need to understand our goal in campaigning against the Smolderthorn. We're trying to win over the Witherbark and Vilebranch and persuade them to rally beneath the banner of the Amani Empire again. We're not simply trying to wipe out the Smolderthorn." Zul'ra glanced at Dakkalai, who kept his head bowed and said nothing, then spoke up.

Zul'ra could tell that Zul'jin had grown suspicious of him. He still didn't know how deeply that suspicion ran, but after observing Zul'jin's trusted follower Dakkalai over the past few days, he had gotten a general sense of it. Zul'jin was still only questioning his loyalty; he hadn't yet begun to regard him as a rival.

And because Zul'jin didn't see him as a rival, but merely doubted his loyalty, he had sent Zul'ra along with the forces preparing to campaign against the Smolderthorn. He had also assigned Lostro, a former follower of Kal'ma, to accompany him, along with Hamia, whose intentions were unclear, and Dakkalai, his loyal subordinate. It was a way to balance power and test them.

"What about the Smolderthorn's collusion with the Horde?" Hamia asked, his eyes flickering as he responded to Zul'ra.

"Which matters more to you: your hatred of the Smolderthorn, or restoring Amani glory?" Zul'ra looked at Hamia's restless eyes and asked. At his words, Dakkalai raised his gaze to Hamia. The leader of the Mossflayer tribe wasn't nearly as sincere in his submission to Zul'jin as he pretended.

"Restoring Amani glory, of course." Hamia noticed Dakkalai watching him and instinctively puffed out his chest.

"So, wiping out the Smolderthorn isn't the priority. What matters most is persuading the Vilebranch and Witherbark to join the Amani banner. If they refuse, we should do the opposite and win over the Smolderthorn instead, stripping the Vilebranch and Witherbark of the courage to reject us. Dakkalai, what do you think?" Zul'ra looked at Hamia, standing proud and righteous, then turned to ask Dakkalai.

"Zul'ra Jin, you truly are the wise one Zul'jin praised." As Zul'jin's emissary, Dakkalai knew exactly what to say. The most important thing right now was to unite all the Forest Trolls under the banner of the Amani Empire. Since Zul'ra was working toward that goal, it proved his loyalty to Zul'jin.

"Then we're still going to wipe out the Smolderthorn, right? Those weaklings aren't worthy of joining us?" Hamia pressed, still unwilling to let it go.

"That's right." Zul'ra nodded naturally as he looked at Hamia. Dakkalai's expression shifted slightly, but he didn't speak.

"If that's the plan, then all the better. To be honest, I don't think it's wise to go straight to war with the Smolderthorn as soon as we reach the Hinterlands. They may be weak, but we'll need enough food. We can't send our warriors into battle on empty stomachs." Lostro looked at Zul'ra and explained his position.

"Why don't we talk to them first once we get there, then decide who to make war on? What do you think?" Lostro asked Dakkalai and Hamia for their opinions.

"Agreed." Dakkalai nodded, his face stern.

"Agreed." Hamia glanced at Dakkalai's stern expression and could only nod along.

"Is there anything else to add?" Lostro clapped his hands together. When everyone shook their heads, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Then it's settled. Now it's time for dinner. It feels great to have a full belly, doesn't it?" Lostro joked with a smile. Dakkalai and Hamia immediately understood and got up to leave, while Zul'ra stayed behind in the tent.

"Would you mind if I joined you for dinner, Lostro?" Zul'ra asked with a bright smile after the two of them had left the tent.

"Of course not. Guess what we're having tonight?" Lostro glanced at the two who had just stepped outside the tent, then smiled and asked without showing any sign that something was amiss.

"Rice porridge, I'd guess. If we're lucky, there'll be some meat in it," Zul'ra replied with a cheerful smile.

Dakkalai had just stepped outside the tent. Hearing the aimless chatter behind him, he exchanged a glance with Hamia, then walked away as if nothing were wrong. Hamia took in the situation, shifted his tusks slightly, and could only move on.

Before long, dinner arrived: thick porridge made with freshly harvested rice. Just as Zul'ra had predicted, it contained some greens and minced meat, along with a little salt. It had been cooked to a delicious consistency. After sending the troll who had brought their meal away, Zul'ra and Lostro opened up over the savory meat porridge, reminiscing about their past friendship.

"Lostro, has Zul'jin's right eye and left arm shown any signs of growing back?" Zul'ra suddenly asked in the middle of their casual reminiscing.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. But it doesn't look like they're showing any signs of regenerating." Lostro held his clay bowl and brought a spoonful of porridge to his mouth. His gaze flickered as he looked at Zul'ra. He paused briefly, then continued.

"Zul'ra..."

"Hmm?" Zul'ra lifted his bowl from beneath his downward-sloping tusks and brought it to his lips. He glanced at the big troll, waiting for his response.

"Is there anything you want me to do?" Lostro looked at the troll drinking porridge as he watched him, his eyes dimming as he lowered his gaze. Since returning from Zandalar, Zul'ra hadn't come to see him. That had left him feeling dejected and a little ashamed, because he had no way to oppose Zul'jin either.

"Go find Dakkalai later and convince him to let me kill Hamia." Zul'ra looked at the big troll's downcast eyes, turned his gaze away, and calmly made his request.

"You've figured out how to do it? Do you have..." Lostro's eyes lit up.

"Just tell me whether you can do it." Zul'ra cut the big troll off. Zul'jin's fearsome reputation weighed heavily on them. The big troll seemed to still care about his bond with Kal'ma, but you could never truly know another's heart. Zul'ra couldn't count on him too much, or on anyone else for that matter. Troll society was savage and worshipped violence.

"All right, I won't ask. It's a small thing. I can do it." Lostro looked at his companion's indifferent expression, let his gaze shift briefly, then nodded firmly.

"Be careful yourself, too. Find a suitable way to persuade him, and don't make your intentions too obvious. The sooner, the better." Zul'ra looked at the big troll who had agreed, his expression relaxing slightly as he added a warning.

"Don't worry." Lostro smiled with relief.