Ambush! - The events that led to Caledar returning home.
A bitter morning in Alterac Valley. A day as inconspicuous as any other. Or so Cale thought. Blood Knight Master Caledar roused his troops at the crack of dawn, beginning what he thought would be a long, arduous day of patrols with little action to speak of. So far his efforts and leadership in this light-forsaken wasteland of snow and ice had been successful. The alliance had failed to gain a strong foothold in the mountains, and were being pushed back more and more every day. Caledar grinned softly to himself, soon, he thought, the battle would be won, and he could move on to higher things. Though used to this lifestyle, it was not the one he wanted for himself. His true calling was to fight the scourge and all beings of un-light. The Alliance were merely a side show as far as he was concerned.
Today he would take his troops right up to the borders of his territory and show the Alliance cowards who they were dealing with, hopefully capturing a few of their scouts to set an example.
The march through his land was quiet enough, his reputation on the field was growing, and few wanted to stand against him. Caledar did not blame them, better they stay home and spare themselves a beating. As he neared the border between Horde and Alliance territory however, A group of scouts, numbering a party of four appeared, jeering at his patrol, shouting what Cale could only assume to be insults at his men. Caledar shook his head in disbelief. “Some alliance just never learn.” He muttered. Turning to his men, grinning at them, he shouted. “Lets take these dogs for a walk shall we? Show them their masters will not tolerate untrained pups!” His men cheered at the prospect of a fight, setting off at a run to persue their quarry. Immediately, the Alliance turned and fled, showing no resistance, just fleeing. It was at this point that Caledar’s soldiers instinct kicked into action. He began to feel uneasy, as his men ran closer to the pickets that separated Horde territory from Alliance, he turned sharply to look at the hills on his right. The weak morning sun flashed on scores of blades. Caledar cursed vehemently. An Ambush! Shouting angrily at his men, he attempted to rally into a wedge and hopefully break through to open ground where he would stand a chance of living until noon. “On me!” He cried, but too late, he had twenty men with him, and at least twelve had already been cut down. Snarling, he summoned up a holy storm, a blaze of light spinning with cyclonic force. A gaping hole appeared in the enemy ranks, which he rushed towards, calling his remaining troops to follow. However, as he ran, he stumbled on a hidden rock, tumbling to the floor. An Alliance soldier next to him did not waste a moment, stabbing down into the fallen Knight, piercing his armour below the ribcage. Not immediately fatal, but would be if not seen to. As the soldier raised his sword for the final blow, a deep horn call sounded from behind. The sound of worgs nearing the position was startlingly loud, and the Alliance commander, knowing his soldiers would be beaten by the mounted riders who were fast approaching, sounded the retreat. They had done what they came to do.
Caledar lay, bleeding into the snow, attempting stubbornly to stand as the worg riders drew close, he managed to force himself into a kneeling position, but failed to stand. The worg rider general approached him, concern showing on his face. “Injured?” He asked, cutting straight to the point without wasting time on formalities. Caledar nodded once as he tried once more to stand. He managed to rise unsteadily to his feet, but due to a combination of blood loss and striking pain, his body shut down and he collapsed into the snow.
Groggily, Caledar awoke some days later, to a blue netted ceiling in a room enamelled with red and black paint. Instantly recognising the room as the Blood Knight temple in Silvermoon he called out. “How long was I out?” A soft female voice replied to him, her figure appearing in the doorway. “ You have been unconscious for at least four days Master, the healers had quite a job reviving you.” Caledar absorbs this information pensively. Looking up at the initiate, he adopts a neutral, commanding tone. “Summon Champion Vranesh, I wish for orders.” The Initiate nods and swiftly leaves the room, with a small bow. Several minutes later, the bulky figure of the legendary Champion appears in the doorway, not waiting for any questions he states in a tone that does not invite discussion. “ You will stay here in Silvermoon until your wounds are healed. I suggest in the meantime you join a War-band and make yourself useful. If you are successful in that endeavour, we shall discuss making your stay a more -permanent- arrangement.” The Champion nods at Caledar with a small amount of respect before turning on his heel and striding away. Caledar sits up in his luxurious bed, grabbing his side as he feels a shooting pain rise in his abdomen. Adjusting his position for comfort, he sits pensively, muttering “Well…this could be the chance I’ve waited for…to make a name amongst my own people.” Still thinking, he decides to go looking for a War-band at first light on the next day.
