Jin'aya and Anansi

Whilst in Ashenvale acting as a scout for the Warsong Offensive, Jinaya found herself spotted by a group of Sentinels. They pursued her through the forest, forcing her in the end to take refuge in the mountains on the northernmost border. As she climbed she found a cavern within the mountain range. Jin'aya climbed in and waited, hidden in the shadows at the back, listening, straining to hear the sound of the pursuing sentinals. Pressed to the back of the cave she finally heard what she had been dreading, Sentinel voices. She couldnt make out what was being said. Suddenly the strong clear voice of t he Captain called out across the mountain range.

"Troll! you are wounded and trapped, we have the cave surrounded. Come out and we may spa...."

The sentinal stopped speaking abruptly, there was an unusual sound almost a clicking noise. Jin'aya peered from behind the rock where she was hiding at the back of the cave. An ear-splitting scream rang-out as one of the sentinals appeared to be dragged out of view by something.

"Anansi! She has returned! retreat! RETREAT!" The sentinal captain grabbed the others nearby them and fled from sight.

Jin'aya stayed perfectly still as a great creature entered the cave, clicking, hissing and screaming as it moved dragging the remains of a sentinal encased in a web. It was Anansi, the great spider. She was as wide across as Jin'aya was tall, her great legs and abdomen appeared allmost hairless but were covered in thick spikes, as sharp as any blade.

Anansi looked at Jin'aya and clicked thoughtfully at her before returning her attention to the sentinel.

Jin'aya, breathing a sigh of relief that she had not yet been eaten, attemped the crawl out of the cave. She moved slowly brushing her hands against the rough surface of the rock. As she tries to pass the spider Anansi clicks at her in warning, Jin'aya understands that if she leaves she will meet the same fate as the sentinel. She takes a seat at the back of the cave and watches as the great spider makes swift work of the still-twitching elf.

Several hours later Jin'aya woke with a start, cursing herself for falling asleep, she trys to work out what woke her. As she peers through the late evening gloom she see's Anansi standing slightly back from the entrance to her cave, clicking franticly. Jin'aya looked past her out of the entrance of the cave, she could see the glow of campfires reflecting of the boughs of the trees. Acrid smoke was blowing into the cave making the air thick and heavy, and above the crackle of the campfires she could here elven voices. The sentinels had returned.

Jin'aya picked up her bow from where it lay and slung her quiver over her shoulder. She crawled towards the cave entrance and looked out. 5 elves were outside waiting for them. Jin'aya realised that the only way she would survive would be to fight her way out. She pushed herself back into the cave and thought of Kaz'koa and Jub'jub, both stabled in Crossroads, after all she wouldnt have needed them, it was only a simple scouting mission, get in, have a look, get out. She smirked to herself in the darkness and vowed never to accept any mission without one of her companions in tow. Jin'aya pressed herself against the shadows of the cave wall, using the smoke for cover she peered out. She could see the captain stood by a tent, 30? 40? yards away. Taking a deep breath she leans against the wall, steadying herself. Selecting an arrow from the quiver she knocked it against the string and pulled back. Jin'aya released the arrow and it flew straight and true. It found its spot between the shoulder and chest armor of the sentinal. The captain screamed as the arrow drove its way into her shoulder. She yelled something in elvish and her commrades stood up and headed towards the cave entrance.

Jin'aya fired two more shots from the smoke taking out 2 of the elves as the arrows lodged in the legs or feet. That left two sentinels remaining, they stood close together and charged for the cave entrance. Jin'aya put down her bow and grasped her two axes, she braced herself ready to strike.Jin'aya swung the axes as the sentinels stepped through the smoke, it connected with the first elf and caused her to stumble. Jin'aya went to go for the second sentinel before realising that she was already dead.

She appeared to be standing still at first glance, but the smoke was causing the strands of web supporting her to shimmer in the firelight. The sentinals head lolled backwards and Anansi's fangs dug into her neck as the spider climbed upon her back.

Jin'aya turned away from this scene to look back at the sentinel who had made it into the cave. The elf looked from her fallen commrade, to Anansi, to Jin'aya, and ran from the cave.

Jin'aya spent the next hour watching the surviving Elves not so much leave as flee the mountainside, taking their wounded and dead with them. As the moon rose above the forest roof, lighting the great trees, Jin'aya stepped out of the cave and started the journey back to the base at the north of the barrens.

After nearly an hours journey as she approached Splintertree she heard a familliar clicking noise. She turned to find Anansi following her, the great spider circled Jin'aya standing between her and her post. Each time Jin'aya tried to get past Anansi blocked her path.

''"Wat ya' be wantin?! ya be gettin ya cave back an' elves fer ya dinner." ''Jin'aya yelled in frustration at the spider blocking her path. Anansi clicked curiously at Jin'aya before moving out of her path.

"Stupi' spider" She mumbled as she went to walk past. She got only a few paces and could hear Anansi following her. Jin'aya turned and swiped at her, trying to shoo her off, before remembering her vow back in the cave, to never venture out without a companion again. Jin'aya knelt down and looked at the spider.

"Ya wants t' be comin wit me?" she looked at the spider questioningly, "well ya certainly can be fightin', I be gi'in ya dat". Jin'aya reached into a small pouch tied to her belt and pulls out some dried meat, "It not bein as fresh as da sentinel but i' ya be comin wit me den i be afraid dat you'll be puttin up wit dis most o da time", She chucked the scrap at Anansi who grabbed it out of the air and swallowed it whole, clicking in approval.

Jin'aya eyed up the spider briefly before pushing herself to her feet and continuing to Splintertree post. Anansi continued Jin'aya's journey with her and has remained a loyal companion since, often on the front line at Warsong, occasionally eating Sentinels.