I know how I can contribute. Story. Rubs hands together
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Heldremys grinned, her teeth glistening with toxic venom as she dug through the piles of gold sheâd snatched up from the Zandalari scouts. As the leader of her warband, she took the largest of the spoils, brimming with pride and a deep feeling of rage. The latter emotion she had no reasonable explanation for. Why was she so angry at the moment? That raid had been such a big success. YetâŚshe felt empty.
Snapping her jaws at unruly Saurok in her band, she stood up, her tail lashing. âOrder. ORDER! What is the meaning of this upset?!â she snarled, marching up to one of the restrained lizardmen.
âYouâre no leader. You are weak. We could have taken more. MORE! Just a few lives of our own would be lost. You pitiful lizard,â he snarled. Without a pause did she raise her claws and slash him across the face, spitting right into it. Driven by bloodlust, she lunged right for his chest soon after, shredding scale and flesh until she plunged her jaws into his chest and ripped his heart out, devouring it without a second thought. Then, she turned to the others of her band, her maw dripping.
âI spare as many of us that I can with my plansss⌠however, disobedience will be met with death. But go on. Offer me some dinner in the process⌠I dare you,â Heldremys snarled. Unsurprisingly, no one else rose up to challenge her. Good. Sheâd not pressed the attack onward, because too many of them would fall to the spears of those damned trolls.
The Saurok made camp in a cave that night, of which was uneventful for a good long while. Alone did Heldremys sit, a book open in her lap. Her claw dragged over the text, but she could not read it. No one taught her how to read any of this. Still, she looked at the strange symbols with wonder, wishing secretly that she could decipher a bit of it. Some of her kin had become pirates by working with the other races. Sharing the riches?! Bah! That was insanity.
Her war band had plenty of riches, so many shiny things. They glimmered beautifully in the sun. ButâŚthey didnât do much else. Drawing her tongue over her fangs, Heldremys considered this for a moment. What was the point, exactly, of all this? Seeing the other races cower, run, shed blood, it was wonderful. That was her purpose, was it not? Or, well, was it?
Now, she got to the pictures in the book. Something about trolls in Zandalar. Sheâd found this book in one of the bags she stole from said trolls. Her claw tapped upon a picture of a male troll, a female troll, and a child. She scratched her head. Was she that way once? Small, weak, but, wellâŚwith purpose and chance to grow?
Surely she was. Right? She had to be. Why couldnât she remember? While trying to rip through her brain to find the answer, she tensed, hearing the shriek of another Saurok deeper in the cave. Getting to her feet, she ran out of her tent to see a massive army of Mogu slaughtering her people. No. NO!
âŚShe had to play it smart. They had yet to see her. Quickly did she dart into the shadows, panting and feeling along the wall. Aha! A loose stone. Perfect. Darting behind it, she shuddered, the reality of near death seeping in. What had she done her entire life? Plunder. Steal. Kill. Did she regret any of it? Well, did she?
Heldremys honestly wasnât sure. Unfortunately, she still wasnât sure even as the stomping of feet could be heard coming closer and closer. Well. She wasnât going to sit here and die a coward. She potentially could have gotten away if they didnât find her hiding place. The Saurok realized that wasnât going to be even remotely close to the case as the sound of a stone grinding against the cave floor could be heard. Tensing up her muscles, she got ready to pounce.
Blood spattered everywhere as Heldremys fought hard. It stained her book a blood red; evidently sheâd snatched it up along with her when sheâd fled to her hiding place. Soon, however, she was dripping from many lacerations on her body, dangling there as a Mogu held her by the neck, laughing in her face.
âYou weak slaves were never meant to think for yourselves. You were created to serve. A failure. I will enjoy ending your miserable little life,â he snarled, squeezing harder and harder.
The Saurok managed a few words before cut off from speech completely. âNoâŚweâŚareâŚmoreâŚweâŚsurviveâŚweâŚhaveâŚpurpossseâŚâ This only caused the Mogu to burst into laughter.
Suddenly, however, he shuddered, letting go and toppling to the ground. Heldremys fell, gasping and grasping at her neck. She scrambled to her feet, searching for her spear but failing to find it. The Mogu was kicked aside to reveal a pandaren, his fur matted with blood from that intense battle. He stared in shock at Heldremys, tilting his head.
âThe only survivor of the Saurok war band. How interesting,â he mused, tapping his chin in thought. Desperate, the female saurok bunched up her muscles and lunged at him, but had no chance. A fist met her skull, and she was out like a light.
Heldremys awoke, blinking her green eyes and giving a groan. Spatting out some blood, she squirmed, realizing that she was bound via bamboo. Sitting by a fire was a pandaren, an elf, and a gnome. The gnome looked up, tilting her head.
âThe specimen is awake!â she squealed, delighted, but received a withering glare from the pandaren.
âShe is not a specimen. She is a guest,â he grumbled, pulling off some roasted fish off from the fire and approaching Heldremys. Giving a kind smile, he held it out to her. âYou have use of your hands, but not to escape. What is your name? Are you hungry?â The Saurok snapped her jaws at him in response, not intending on communicating at all. The panda merely chuckled and sat down in front of her, chomping on the fish in one bite and swallowing before continuing. âI found this book. Is it yours?â he asked calmly.
Heldremys stared at the bloodied book, reaching out and snatching it up. She put it close to her chest before finally snarling, âI canât read it.â
âWell. Thereâs always a chance to learn, is there not? Now is a better time than never!â the pandaren chortled. He then smiled brightly. âI remember you saying you do have a purpose. I am sorry your friends all were killed. But you did something that reminded me of my people.â
âYour people? You are weak! Lesser!â spat the saurok.
âAnd yet, you are the one in chains at our mercy,â the pandaren commented. The elf walked over, sitting beside him and looking on curiously, right along with the gnome. âThese are my friends. It looks like you need some too.â
âI donât need anyone!â Heldremys shouted, but suddenly tears began to pour from her eyes. âNone of us do. We survive! We pillage!â she snapped, though this time with a bit less vigor.
âWell. Maybe you do. But you can do something else. Would you like for me to read you that book?â the pandaren asked. Heldremys hesitated. What was he playing at? This was an enemy. He should kill her right here, yet he didnât. Finally, she slowly nodded.
âI ssseek to know of the meaning of my treasure here. It is your fool fault if you provide the knowledge to me,â the saurok snapped. The pandaren merely smiled.
âAh, but that is where you are wrong. I am no fool, I am a teacher. And it looks like you have much to learn,â the pandaren replied. He proceeded to go through the book, pausing where Heldremys looked confused to explain the situations. All of them were tales of Zandalari greatness, be it through battle, wealth, or raising a family. Heldremys was most interested in the last one, however.
âFaaamily⌠what is family. Do I have one?â she asked, staring the pandaren down in question.
âI do not know. Do you? Family is what you make it. Blood only gets us so far, and origin is not important. No, it is what you do that matters the most in the end,â the pandaren commented, bowing his head.
âOriginâŚtool, of a mogu⌠I canât be. There musst be more,â Heldremys whimpered, burying her face into her hands. Her tail lashed back and forth as she came to realize that she had none of what that book said. No glory, no origin to be proud about, no family. A hand fell on her shoulder, causing her to hiss, but it wasnât removed.
She moved her hands to peer at the pandaren with malice. Her anger was returned with a kind stare. âYou are a tool of only that of which you allow. Neither of these people are my species, neither started off as my family. Now we battle together, drink together, and share stories together. We look different, we are from different backgrounds. And yet.â
Heldremys paused. ââŚAnd yet?â
âIndeed. And yet.â
Yeah, itâs long, but I kinda got inspired a bit and just let myself write. You know? I figured this could get minds flowing of how the Saurok could begin to think nowadays. Surely there has to be more than just ex-tools for the mogu, only meant for violence. Eh?
I got the name âHeldremysâ from a modification of âHelodermatidaeâ. Or⌠GILA MONSTER SCIENTIFIC NAME!