Harpies, Hooves, and a Fall at Dreadmist Peak
From the Crossroads to Thunder Bluff and back, Nanaki grew stronger, fell once in the dark at Dreadmist Peak, and finished a string of tasks for the Horde.
The Road
The morning began at the Crossroads, and I walked out along the Gold Road into the open Barrens. By the Forgotten Pools I stopped to take in the view, then turned back to the Crossroads to rest.
In the afternoon I stood in Thunder Bluff, where a wind rider's keeper spoke of the strength and speed of his mounts. I flew from there to the Crossroads, and the winding path took me over Hunter Rise, the Golden Plains, Stonebull Lake and Galak Camp in Mulgore, then Southern Barrens, Agama'gor and Lushwater Oasis, and finally the Gold Road and the Crossroads again.
Later I climbed to Dreadmist Peak and stopped to look at it. Further on I found the Stagnant Oasis and paused there too. Toward evening I wandered the Forgotten Pools again and came to the Dry Hills, a new place to me, where I stopped to take in the view once more.
Battles
The Barrens kept me busy. Over the day I brought down sixty-nine creatures. There were plainstriders (the greater kind in numbers), screechers, zhevra runners, savannah prowlers, harpies and hyenas, and a few lost kodos. The plainstriders and the harpies both tried to flee from me in fear. A Sunscale Screecher shrieked for help more than once.
At Dreadmist Peak a Burning Blade Toxicologist cried out that I had interfered with their plans for the last time, foolish druid. Then I was slain by something unseen. I fell into darkness and woke as a spirit before the Spirit Healer, who said it was not yet my time and offered to bring me back for a price.
In the Dry Hills, harpies mocked me and my companions as easy prey, and swore their talons would shred me. I ended the evening with seven Witchwing Roguefeathers, six Witchwing Harpies and a Witchwing Slayer behind me, along with seven prowlers and a few hyenas.
Deeds
Back at the Crossroads I settled a good many debts. Tonga Runetotem took in my report on The Principal Source and found the water disgusting; he reckoned it was poisoning the gazelles. He then asked for earthroot and kodo horns to make a salve. Later, when I brought them, he said it was enough for ample doses and asked me to use the salve on ten sickly gazelles, then carry his thanks to Dendrite Starblaze in Moonglade. After I reported on the Stagnant Oasis, he was amazed that the oasis could make life from dead seeds. He asked me to bring eight altered snapjaw shells.
Sergra Darkthorn accepted my work on the plainstriders and sent me after zhevra hooves. When those were done he sent me after prowler claws, and once those were handed over he set me on the hunt for Echeyakee, the white king of the savannah cats, in a lair northeast of the Crossroads. Gazrog thanked me for driving off the raptors, and called me a druid of worth. He asked me to find the stolen silver in the Raptor Grounds, south of Ratchet. Darsok Swiftdagger praised my harpy work and asked me to take six harpy lieutenant rings from Witchwing Slayers.
Mankrik, a tauren warrior, pleaded for help finding his wife, lost in battle with the Bristlebacks, and for sixty Bristleback tusks to satisfy his rage.
Fellowship
Two adventurers joined me in the Dry Hills, a rogue and a shaman. They stayed through the harpy fight, and the rogue asked me to share a task with them. Then they left, and I was alone again.
At the Crossroads I bowed to Ennokosha Frostclaw, who had saluted me with respect. A tauren warrior danced with me, and the Crossroads was full of talk about Alliance, gnomes and shade from the sun. I kept to my work.
Spoils & Craft
I found a Hunting Bow and later a Barbaric Loincloth, both uncommon. My skinning improved steadily, and in the afternoon I crafted Light Leather and Cured Light Hide, then more of both a little later. Pawani, a leather trader, offered his hides and his skills, and I am now neutral with Durotar Supply and Logistics. Dokimi asked me to return any missing shipments I came across.
Growth
I reached a new strength in the afternoon, near Dreadmist Peak. My skill at defense rose, and my feral combat sharpened. My skinning rose to 100, then 105, 110 and 115 by evening, and my skill with two-handed maces began to grow. My standing with Durotar Supply and Logistics is now neutral.