(35) - If A Tree Screams

Griffonclaw waited outside Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker's office, waiting for an audience. At his feet was a pair of enormous gray equipment bags, made of a heavy canvas material, containing a set of massive barding -- horse armor -- made by Grimand Elmore, possibly the finest smith of this age. Griffonclaw had been directed to seek him out to make the barding for his new horse; he had been making armor for paladins for a generation, and was not only fine armor, but also, given the type of things with which a paladin came into confict, attuned to the spiritual world as well.

"You'll need four things for the barding" Grimand had said, grinning through his thick beard. "Runecloth for the lining, arcanite bars for the plating, Arthas' Tears for the spiritual attunement, and Stratholme holy water for the spiritual imbuement." His grin had become wider. "Actually, you need five things... gold for my fee. That fee includes all labor as well as a handcrafted saddle and stirrups."

Grimand did excellent work, but he was not inexpensive.

Once the armor had been finished, Lord Grayson had more instructions. "Your barding needs a special form of blessing, one from an appropriate spirit. In Dire Maul is such a spirit, the Ancient Equine Spirit. It is currently held by a corrupt treant, Tendris Warpwood. Pass judgment upon this foul beast, Griffonclaw, and then sooth the wild spirit with the special horse feed you got from that witch, Merideth Carlson..." Griffonclaw did not know why she had a grudge against the paladins, nor why it seemed reciprocated by Lord Grayson, but he also didn't feel that he was in a position to ask. "When you have that blessing, report back to me." Lord Grayson stood, indicating that Griffonclaw was dismissed to duty.

And now, having obtained that blessing, Griffonclaw was back, like a chronic scalp itch.

When he was ushered into Lord Grayson's office, he managed to catch the almost conspiratorial grin before the leader of the Stormwind paladins erased it.

"I have this morning a complaint of you, Paladin of Ironforge" he intoned, trying to look grim.

"From?" asked Griffonclaw with nonchalance.

"Who else? His Grace, the Bishop Delavey."

"And what does that most worthy cleric accuse me of this time?" asked Griffonclaw, his voice sarcastically meek and respectful.

"Oh, you have once more been a 'bad boy'... " chuckled Lord Grayson. "You're consorting again! Such a disgrace! First, you are... " He read from the letter from Delavey. "... 'disgracefully cavorting with a Known Rogue named Falcon..."

"Kestralil" corrected Griffonclaw.

"Yes, thats right... " Lord Grayson replied, making a note. "I will reply that no such person exists, and repudiate that claim.... now, he also says that you fornicate..."

"Yes sir, I do. As you know, the paladins of Ironforge do not take an oath of celebacy, and I was released from mine by your own hand."

Grayson grumbled. "Don't remind me. Not my best day, nor the best day for the Order... I should have told the Archbishop to..."

"You acted as you did for the good of the Order, m'lord" interrupted Griffonclaw. "All turned out well, and the Order didn't have to suffer for my actions, nor for any further actions... many of which Delavey complained about as well."

"You do seem to touch a sore spot with him..." mused Grayson. "I am sorry, but I did have to forward that allegation that you beat and tortured the ambassador from the Scarlet Crusade to your superiors in Ironforge. Doubtless without a basis in fact."

"Well, no... I was guilty of that, and more besides" Griffonclaw admitted without shame. "I freely admitted by guilt, and was admonished. The punishment given me was the harshesh one they give."

"You mean....?"

"Precisely. I have been forbidden to drink ale, beer, or other intoxicating spirits, except at weddings or funerals, for a period of decade."

Both men remained silent, and then burst into laughter. Griffonclaw had, for the most part, given up drink after a week of drunken behavior following his release from the Stormwind Order of the Light. What would be a dire punishment for his Ironforge Brothers was less than a slap on the wrist for him, and his superiors in Ironforge were well-aware of it.

They were also well aware of the Scarlet Crusade, and had no representative from those murderous fanatics within their desmesnes.

"And finally, he has charged that you have aided and abetted known demonologists... again. Specifically, it says that you entered the former city of Eldre'Thalas with a coven, and came out splattered with blood" Lord Grayson said as he sobered.

"On the contrary, I deny that charge with enthusiasm and fervor. I did not help a single warlock that day."

Grayson looked at him expectantly.

"They helped me. We carried the barding with us, and the special feedcorn, as recommended. When you charged me to obtain the blessing of the Ancient Equine Spirit held prisoner by Teldris Warpwood, I went to the Broken Blade tavern, and asked who might be willing to support a Paladin of the Light in his quest to release that spirit... and three of the four volunteers happened to be Warlocks. They cheerfully and without recompense knowingly assisted a paladin of the Ironforge chapter to strenthen himself in the battle against the Burning Legion and the Scourge, and they deserve commendation, not condemnation... my lord." Griffonclaw concluded, face straight. "And such a commendation from you would surely add to our reputation for fair dealing with those who operate within the legal strictures, would it not? And more to the point... give Delavey just reward for bringing such a matter to your attention. You might even ask the Archbishop for him to sign the commendations on behalf of the Cathedral... " Griffonclaw sat there, an innocent and enthusiastic expression on his face.

"Oh, I think that such civic-minded people must recieve recognition... acting in the best interest of the Alliance and the Light, assisting a decorated hero of Ironforge in his quest... oh, I think a commendation must be arranged" responded Lord Grayson. "I think when I speak with Benedictus on this matter, I will insist that Delvay be the signatory representative... fitting, given his diligence in ferreting out their assistance in this matter." The Archbishop had always had a soft spot for Griffonclaw, recognizing that although he was often on the wrong side of regulations and laws, he was usually on the side of justice. As much politician as priest, the Archbishop clearly recongnized the value of Delavey and Griffonclaw, and did not hesitate to use them to further the causes of the Cathedral. He would see Lord Grayson's request as a means to admonish Delavey, not for spying on Griffonclaw, but rather for complaining with inaccurate and incomplete information. Delavey was the Cathedral's spymaster and operated out of Stormwind Palace rather than the Cathedral by design - but Benedictus would not have his personal prejudices misinterpreting his information. "What were the names of these paragons of patriotic duty?"

"Telamir, Sharmarli Shadowcaster, Meerlinda Barlinae... and Noctarre Bane" Griffonclaw supplied. Telamir had been a friend of hers since her days with the Silver Fangs, and was old in skill and power when Griffonclaw was newly oath-sworn in Northshire.

Sharmarli had been the first demonologist that Griffonclaw had met, besides his first love - who hadn't been a warlock then. She had been a contradiction of sorts; knowledgeable and powerful, ambitious, but full of good humor, compassion, and a keen sense of justice. She had toiled ceaselessly in behalf of the Alliance in battle. She was, in many ways, the antithesis of all the Cathedral maintained was true about Warlocks, and their friendship had always reminded Griffonclaw not to condemn a warlock before being able to judge them by their actions, rather than their profession.

Meerlinda Barlinae was a demon-hunter, using fire to fight fire. She was amazingly shy amonst tallards, but fierce and courageous in battle. Her imp Zorqua was her constant companion, and even Griffonclaw had come to like that crusty, sarcastic, lust-ridden demon. Not necessarily trust... but he did like the Imp. Meerlinda he both liked and trusted; he admired any warlock who strove for justice and virtue, rather than follow the "Left Handed Path", the path of human pain, degredation, and blood sacrifice.

Which brought Griffonclaw's train of thought to Noctarre Bane, the self-styled "Mistress of Pain". He had been amazed when she had stepped forward; she and he had minced no words in argument, and Griffonclaw knew that she disliked him a great deal. However she felt, though, she had volunteered... and Griffonclaw was secure in that Sharmarli and Meerlinda would warn him of anything harmful she might intend. She had proven a valuable and diligent companion, and afterwards Griffonclaw had learned why... she sought repayment for his assistance in the Felwoods, and sought to bargain with him in much the same way she did her demons. Quid pro quo Griffonclaw understood, and there was little in the Felwood that Griffonclaw wouldn't gladly take sword against even without such a bargain.

Lord Grayson smiled, writing down the names. "And they were effective?"

"Most effective, Lord Grayson... considering that the corrupt tree spirit was guarded by other tree spirits... and that all of them were basically made out of dry wood... I would grab their attention, and then one by one the warlocks and their imps would rain fire down upon them. The druid Telamir healed me more from eldrich burn marks than anything the tree spirits actually did... and of course, she did that with style and grace, like she does everything."

"Excellent... and now, I have another task for you... We now must assemble a Divination Scryer - this will begin the trial that will allow you to redeem the fallen charger. Your scryer, actually, is almost done. The exorcism censer used in Terrordale is the catalyst for it, and I will fashion a suitable housing for the device. The last components needed, though, are two diamonds. They must be as juxtaposed in brilliance as they are in purpose - an Azerothian and a Pristine Black. These two will be the beacon by which the scryer will pierce the shadows!"

Griffonclaw sighed as Lord Grayson described the next stage, fighting into the basement of Scholomance, and summoning a Death Knight so that Griffonclaw could send him to the Twisting Nether and steal its horse...

There was always something else to do...