Anomalous Whispers
The elementalist told Thrall that this place was called Stonetalon Mountains. The Orcs chieftain observed that there were small hills around, and a beautiful sea view to the west. Huge sandstone cliffs and peaks rose into the clouds. Erosion by rivers had carved Stoneclaw Mountain into a very large canyon. And the Horde's army was passing through here.
In addition, the climate here is extremely harsh. At its lower elevations, the climate is hot and dry, making it impossible for crops to grow. Once the rainy season arrives, the ground becomes slippery and grayish-white. Walking on the hillsides or cliffs in the rain is very dangerous—water seeps from the sandstone, posing a risk of slipping and falling.
Another easily noticeable feature of the Stonetalon Mountains is the wind. Sometimes a gentle breeze brings fresh air from the sea, sometimes a hurricane whips up dust storms, and sometimes even storms from the western mountains.
"Chieftain, we have been trekking through the wilderness for a week. Apart from Centaur and Wildkin, we have not encountered any other threats, but our Warrior are getting tired of this endless journey," said Nazgrel, the wolf rider captain beside Thrall. He was a strong Warrior and also from the Frostwolf Clan.
Snow Song the Worg did not slow down because its master wanted to speak; its understanding with Thrall was even stronger than the bond between Thrall and Doomhammer.
"Yes, the weariness and the scorching sun are driving us crazy, but we must be patient. Keep the Warrior close and don't let them fall behind. The element tells me that someone is tracking us."
"What?" Nazgrel looked at the chieftain in surprise, then quickly took out his weapon from behind and said angrily, "I'll take some men and take out the guys who are following us right now."
"No," Thrall stopped him. "We should keep going; finding the prophet is our primary objective. If the pursuers don't attack us, let them be. Once I see the prophet, everything will become clear."
Nazgrel grunted and sheathed his battle axe. "As you wish, Chieftain."
"What's going on up ahead?" Thrall heard the sounds of fighting. After crossing a hill, they discovered a battle taking place in the valley below.
"It's the Warsong Clan!" Nazgrel recognized the red banners in the camp at a glance. Thrall saw them too, and he was happier than anyone else. Before the Great Migration reached Kalimdor, the Orcs encountered a sea storm, and many clans were scattered, especially the Warsong Clan. Thrall had never been able to find Grom Grommash.
"They are fighting against humans."
"Humans?" Thrall was both angry and surprised. How could there be humans in this place? "Lok'tar, Warrior of the Horde, Grommash and the Warsong Clan need help!"
The human forces that clashed with the Warsong Clan were quite large, and they were led by a gray-haired wizard.
"You filthy Orcs, how dare you follow us here?" the mage roared.
"Save your breath, human. You'll still have the strength to scream when my Gorehowl tears your flesh." Grom dodged the mage's fireballs, relentlessly closing in on him...
The battle ended quickly. Humanity, caught in a pincer attack, suffered heavy casualties.
Thrall finally met the Warsong Clan chieftain, but he had no time for pleasantries. "Grom, what's going on? Damn it, why are humans here?"
The bloodlust in Grommash's eyes hadn't subsided, but he wasn't completely consumed by it yet. "Like us, Thrall. A human girl named Jaina Proudmoore led these humans here, and her army blocks our path north."
Thrall nodded and gave a low "hmm." "We must cross the northern passage no matter what. I'll send Troll hunters to scout the surrounding area while we establish our base. Until then, we'd better stay away from those humans."
The last sentence was clearly addressed to Grom. Grommash harbored resentment and disappointment. He had expected Thrall to order a direct attack on the human army, and he would gladly be the vanguard.
"Say whatever you want, Chief."
The Stonetalon Mountains offered plenty of cover, and Nathanos found the most secluded spot with the best view. Once the Orcs, led by Thrall, arrived, they immediately began gathering available resources to build a camp. There were also some Troll, different from the Amani Troll Nathanos had seen before. These Troll were smaller and didn't have the vibrant green skin of forest trolls; instead, they had a dark purple complexion. However, what truly caught Nathanos's attention was the Warsong Clan chieftain. After so many years, they had met again; their last meeting was at the Dark Portal.
"Humans, Orcs, what a lively scene."
'And there are the Undead!'
"Who?" Nathanos became alert. He was used to the Lich King's whispers, but the person who spoke in his mind just now had a very clear voice and no sense of oppression. It couldn't be the Lich King.
The other party did not answer him; it was impossible for Undead body to experience auditory hallucinations from the living. Nathanos felt as if he was not only being watched by the Lich King, but also controlled by many other eyes.
"Whoever you are, you better not get caught by me." Nathanos clenched his fist, threatening the unseen whisperer, then kept a close eye on the Orcs' movements. Thrall clearly didn't want to fight the humans; he had found a group of Goblins, traded them for airships, and planned to bypass the human camps from the air. However, Grom Grommash didn't seem to give Thrall the chance to do so. He and his clan broke away from the Orcs camps and began attacking the humans directly. Forced into a corner, Thrall also ordered the destruction of the surrounding human camps. After the battle, several airships hovered in front of the Orcs.
"Great, with this flying device, I can reach Stonetalon Peak tomorrow morning."
"True Orcs should choose to charge through the human defenses." Grommash and two Warsong Orcs appeared in front of Thrall at some point, uttering a merciless sneer.
The Horde's young chieftain was about to deal with the Warsong Clan's problems when their leader arrived. Enraged, Thrall questioned Grom, "Have you lost your mind, Grom? I gave you direct orders not to contact humans. Damn it!" Thrall glanced at Grommash Gorehowl, stained with human blood, a stark contrast to the blood-soaked human camp.
What's wrong with you?
Grom stepped forward, pointed at Thrall, and yelled, "Don't lecture me, kid! These scum deserve to be killed." After saying this, his tone suddenly became as calm as the unpredictable sea. "This feels so familiar, Thrall. It's like the old days... with demons all around us."
"I don't know what happened to you and your people, but I can't tolerate this kind of Bloodlust."
Grommash, slowly lowering his head. "I'm sorry, Thrall. You were right... I'll handle it."
"I can't rely on luck." Thrall stepped onto the airship's ladder, turned to Grom and said, "Grom, take your clan to the northern forest and build a base. I will meet you after I find the Prophet."
The Goblins airship took off using the lift generated by the huge balloon.
Nathanos watched them leave; the pursuit should be over. The remaining Orcs weren't the Horde's main force, and continuing to watch them was pointless.
'Follow him closely, keep up with Grom Grommash.'